Membership benefits

Membership brings security and benefits

Your union is there to support you at every stage of your career. We work on your behalf to influence the development of working life and many matters of social significance. Membership provides many valuable services and benefits, as well as useful networks.

Advice, training and information

Your union provides you with legal advice and services as well as employment counselling and training that supports your professional development, career progress and networking. The range of services and benefits vary between affiliates. Check your union’s website for the latest information about what the union has to offer.

The member and professional magazines and online services published by the union provide information on working life, supervision of interests and matters related to your profession. In addition to general websites, most Akava affiliates have specific member pages to communicate current information that is relevant to their members.

Your union supports you in job search and career matters as well as matters related to employment contracts. If you have any questions about membership or employment, don’t hesitate to contact your union.

Contract and employment security

Akava’s negotiation organisations, namely the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff (YTN) and the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals (JUKO), as well as Akava’s affiliates oversee collective agreement activities in order to safeguard wage increases and the development of working conditions.

Together with our affiliates, we contribute to the preparation of labour legislation to ensure that it continues to meet the demands of a changing working life.

At your workplace, you can seek advice and help from elected representatives and shop stewards as well as from Akava contacts who supervise the interests of members. They negotiate with employers in the workplace and assist members in matters regarding employment and service relationships. The purpose of the shop steward system is to promote compliance with service and collective agreements, to settle disputes and to maintain peace at work. You are also supported in the workplace by an occupational health safety and health delegate.

Networks and community

As a member of the union, you have the opportunity to network with experts in your field. Your union organises courses, meetings and seminars to provide you with the latest information and opportunities to meet colleagues. Many of our affiliates offer career services and information on open jobs in the relevant fields.

Your professional community is an important source of peer support and discussion when looking for answers to questions related to your profession or working life. Information on open jobs is passed on through these networks. Some of our affiliates also offer mentoring. A mentor is an experienced expert who provides a less experienced person who is interested in self-development with advice, support and advancement in their working life or studies through one-on-one interaction.

Unemployment security

Members of a union can also easily become members of the unemployment fund. You can get advice on unemployment security from both your union and the unemployment fund. Unemployment funds pay an earnings-related daily allowance to members who become unemployed.

Insurance and banking services

Affiliates offer their members favourable insurance terms and bank agreements. For example, rates for home and travel insurance are lower through the union. Akava members receive significant benefits in banking and investment services from Danske Bank. More information about Danske Bank’s membership benefits for Akava members.

Discounts and support

Membership entitles you to discounts on many products and services as well as many domestic holiday destinations. Holiday services for Akava members are organised by A-palvelut, whose holiday property rentals are available to Akava members at a reduced rate.
Descriptions and current offers on products and services at member prices can be found on the Member+ website. You can register as a user using your Akava membership number.

On the basis of cooperation agreements, members can get discounts on cruises, hotel accommodation and services and more.  For more details, visit the Member+ membership benefit portal or your Union’s website.

Membership fees vary between affiliates

Membership fee practices vary between Akava affiliates, but for most part, the fee is a percentage of taxable income. You can submit a proxy that enables your employer to deduct the fee directly from your salary and pay it to the relevant union or you can pay the fee yourself as a separate payment.