TEK’s council approved TEK’s financial statements, audit, and annual report at its spring meeting held on 19–20 March in Helsinki. You can read the 2025 annual report here (in Finnish). The council also decided on meeting fees for the upcoming 2026–2029 term.
In addition, the council confirmed the student representatives for 2026:
- Aalto University Student Union (Espoo): Einari Stenberg, deputy Tuomas Nykänen
- Student Union of LUT University (Lappeenranta): Mari Murtomäki, deputy Samuel Mustakallio
- Oulun teekkariyhdistys ry: Jaakko Reunanen, deputy Matti Damski
- Tampereen teekkarit ry: Laura Heino, deputy Lauri Heinonen
- Teekkarikomissio ry (Turku): Iida Vahtola, deputy Titta Yli-Hollo
- Tutti ry (Vaasa): Matias Mäkelä, deputy Hilja Rautpalo
The spring meeting was the last meeting of the current council and term. The new council will start its work in September.
TEK’s Board Chair Arto Timperi described the term as an active one.
“In 2025, the board held 23 meetings. A total of 60 collective agreements were negotiated, both national and company-specific – TEK’s working life team has certainly had its hands full,” Timperi said.
CEO Jari Jokinen reported that TEK’s membership grew last year more than any other Akava union.
“Nearly one in four full members used TEK’s services last year. The NPS – net promoter score – of our services is an impressive 76. This is one of the core strengths of our work,” Jokinen said.
Employment situation and legislative changes in focus
The current labour market situation came up both in speeches and in the questions that followed.
TEK’s Labour Market Director Teemu Hankamäki reported that the unemployment rate among masters of science in technology is around five percent. For architects, the unemployment rate is 10%, and for those with doctoral-level qualifications around three percent.
TEK’s legal services have not yet seen significant effects from the January legislative change that removed the requirement of “a weighty reason” for dismissals based on personal grounds.
“Because of the legislative change, dismissal on personal grounds is now easier. In TEK’s legal services, we do not currently see indications that this change would broadly affect our members. At least for now, the phenomenon is not visible to an extent that it could be identified,” Hankamäki explained. He said TEK is monitoring the situation.
“I estimate that for our members, the real impact of the law will be seen in termination agreements, where compensation paid by employers is likely to decrease.”
Hankamäki also noted that negotiations on the collective agreement for universities of applied sciences are currently underway. Its validity period will end at the end of March. Other collective and public-sector agreements affecting TEK members are currently in force.
“Thanks to the salary increases agreed last spring in the collective agreements, our members’ purchasing power is improving,” Hankamäki commented on the impact of the agreements.
Working life topics were also covered in Tuunia Keränen’s review of labour market survey results and Virve Murto’s overview of membership and representativeness trends.
The theme of the Council Arena was pensions and the pension system, discussed by Suvi-Anne Siimes and Robert Sundman. You can watch the recording in Finnish here.
Initiatives: A new Lounge, actions on membership fee tax deduction, and rules on disqualification
The board responded to initiatives submitted in the previous meeting.
One initiative proposed establishing a TEK Lounge at the University of Eastern Finland. The Board commented that the topic is timely, and TEK has in recent years increased its presence and facilities on campuses. A need has also been identified and facilities explored at the University of Oulu. As acquiring and maintaining premises incurs costs, decisions are made with careful consideration. For the time being, the Board does not see grounds to begin preparing a lounge for the University of Eastern Finland, but TEK’s office will continue to monitor the situation.
Another initiative proposed measures to address the impacts of the removal of the tax deduction for trade union membership fees, suggesting for example a review of the billing structure. The board noted that TEK is closely monitoring the effects of the deduction’s removal, which have so far been moderate. Adjusting the billing structure would not restore the tax deduction. The board considers the best preparation to keep enhancing member services and proactively marketing them.
A third initiative proposed changes to TEK’s rules on conflicts of interest and disqualification in governing bodies and association activities. The board noted that TEK’s governance must be clear. In line with Legal Affairs Director Ralf Forsén’s view, the board stated that chairs of associations are disqualified, for example in discussions on grants, even if the decisions do not concern their own association. Conflicts of interest are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
The initiative submitted to this meeting proposed measures and research on the impact of artificial intelligence on students.
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TEK's council consists of 70 members who represent TEK’s more than 80,000 members. The councillors determine how TEK members’ interests are promoted in the labour market, what kind of member services are offered to them, and how the profession influences the wider society. At council meetings, the council members decide on the priorities for TEK’s activities and can propose new directions.
TEK’s elections to choose the new council are underway until 12 noon on 30 March. Online voting is quick and easy – and even a single vote can decide a seat on the council! Read more: www.tek.fi/election