Advocacy
We engage in multidisciplinary advocacy across the public, private, and third sectors. We work to create a sustainable and equitable working life where professionals and supervisors can confidently pursue career paths that suit them. We are known as a trade union that is guided by a strong focus on values.
Professional Advocacy
Our key goals in advocacy and developing working life include sustainable workdays and the wellbeing of professionals, workplace wellbeing, fair and transparent compensation, eliminating unjustified fixed-term contracts, protecting employees during employment transitions, and ensuring opportunities for continuous learning.
- We influence our members’ pay, working conditions, training, and labor legislation.
- By maintaining active communication with our members and extensive networks, and by utilizing current labor market research, we identify the challenges faced by the professions we represent.
- We take part in the changes happening in our members’ fields. We create channels and opportunities for members to participate in and influence the future of working life.
Specia ry is the largest member organization within Akava Special Branches and part of Akava, the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff in Finland. We carry out impactful advocacy in cooperation with Akava Special Branches, the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals JUKO, and the private sector negotiating commission YTN.
Don't hesitate to ask for more information
If you’re interested in Specia’s advocacy work or our advocacy policies, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Employment relationship and public service employment relationship counseling
Experienced legal professionals are here to support you with challenges in working life. Among other matters, you can seek advice regarding difficult workplace interactions, co-operation negotiations (“YT-neuvottelut”), or the termination of an employment relationship. You’ll receive personal legal counseling related to signing employment contracts, terms and conditions of employment or public service employment, salary matters, employment issues, or job seeking.
Employment relationship counseling for our members is provided by our umbrella organization, Akava Special Branches. Their lawyers, specialized in different collective agreements and sectors, are well-versed in the constantly evolving labor laws and practices.
Employee representative in the workplace
As a member of Specia, you can get help from JUKO and YTN employee representatives and trustees. They can help interpret collective agreements, negotiate on your behalf regarding salary, and represent you during changes in the workplace. If you’re unsure who the representative is at your workplace, please contact us!
Negotiating collective agreements
Specia members fall under several different collective agreements, and we also represent members whose work is not covered by any collective agreement. We conduct collective agreement advocacy in close co-operation with our umbrella organization Akava Special Branches. Collective agreements in the private sector are negotiated on our behalf by the private sector negotiating commission YTN, and in the public sector by the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals JUKO.
Private Sector
If you work in the private sector, check with your employer whether your work is covered by a YTN agreement.
Private SectorUniversities
Research, teaching, administration, and management positions in universities
UniversitiesPrivate Education Sector
The collective agreement for the private education sector, negotiated with Finnish Education Employers (FEE)
Private Education SectorChurch
Expert, management, and supervisory positions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church
General collective agreement for the church