Security for working life is an Akava Asia
You have surely insured your home? Your car? Your life? Now insure your professional career and join one of Akava’s affiliate unions!

Security for working life is not just a matter of unemployment security. Akava’s affiliates provide you with assistance and advice for all stages of your working life, career services, career-related training, legal services and earnings-related unemployment security.
Additionally, membership in an Akava trade union provides you with support through general collective agreements, negotiation services and a shop steward network. Your own union will take care of these matters on your behalf, while also making your voice heard.
Akava trade unions offer professional supervision of interests and employment guidance. They are there for you at all stages of your work career. Membership also comes with many benefits of monetary value.
Union membership advantages
- Security, assistance and guidance throughout your entire working life.
- A stronger educational and professional identity and collegial community.
- Legal support and legal expenses insurance.
- Training and publications relevant to working life.
- Possibilities for influence, events and activities.
- Discounts, benefits, insurance coverage and recreational activities.
- Support from shop stewards.
- Membership in an unemployment fund and earnings-related unemployment security.
- Other union-specific benefits.
Akava is the leading student organisation in Finland

Working life security from Akava unions
In Akava, you are among your peers, an important part of the network of highly-educated individuals in Finland. Akava is a labour market confederation for 610,000 highly educated individuals in the membership rosters of its 35 affiliate trade unions. The members of Akava trade unions include wage and salary earners, independent professionals, self-employed individuals and freelancers, entrepreneurs and students. Individuals can join the unions based on their degree, position or profession. Together, Akava members ensure success and security for all other Akava members and for Finland.
As a member of Akava, you have a role in the preparation of working life legislation, unemployment and social security and the pension system. Additionally, you are part of a network with strong social influence in terms of education and economic policies.
The task of trade unions is to promote the interests of their members within the labour market. For example, the working hours, employment pension and employment contract legislation, as well as annual holidays and parental leaves are all the result of the long-term advocacy work carried out by the trade union movement.
Membership in an Akava trade union also reinforces a sense of community with regard to your professional identity or education. Many unions have long traditions as developers of education and society. The more of us there are, the better we are able to advance the significance of and appreciation for education and expertise in Finland.