The membership of Akava affiliates has grown slightly

The total number of members of Akava affiliates at the start of 2023 was 616,000, which is an increase of 1,200 members in comparison to the previous year. The number of paying members increased by 177 and the number of student members by 3,393. The highest number of new members was gained by the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland and the highest relative growth was experienced by Akavan sairaanhoitajat ja Taja.

3.3.2023

‘The increase in our membership numbers continued during 2022, which is an indicator that Akava affiliates carried out valuable and important work during the year. The affiliates have provided their members with a great deal of help in many areas of working life. Akava and our negotiation organisations have negotiated on numerous collective agreements and related salary increases. This is especially important now when the rapid inflation increase has been weakening purchasing power’, states Maria Löfgren, President of Akava.

Akava affiliates have altogether 121,308 student members, who are studying at universities and universities of applied sciences. During 2022, the affiliates gained more than 3,600 new student members.

‘The growth in our student member numbers was strong and this makes me particularly happy. We work together with Akava students and affiliates to ensure that students and young people continue to view our shared goals and methods of advocacy as well as membership as useful. We work actively to ensure good conditions for studying and the transition to working life, but also for sustainable working life for all forms of work and for all age groups’, Löfgren continues.

Altogether 54 per cent of Akava members work in the private sector, 23 per cent in municipalities and 9 per cent in the wellbeing services counties, which were initiated at the start of the year. A total of 10 per cent work for the State, 1 per cent for Church parishes and 3 per cent as self-employed professionals.

The Board of Akava confirmed the number of affiliate members at its meeting on 28 February 2023. More detailed member information can be found at https://akava.fi/en/affiliates/.