Our international work helps safeguard our members' interests
Our international work enables us to safeguard our member’s rights and working conditions. When policies are agreed between employers' and workers' organisations around the world, everyone wins - including Finnish working life and workers.
Through our international work, we have influenced, for example, the role of the employee in automation-sensitive sectors, roaming charges that are affordable for all Finns, and how employers responsibilities will be defined in situations of domestic violence in remote work. We are also the only Finnish union to represent the financial sector in international arenas.
Focus on the European Union
The main focus of our international work is the European Union, as EU legislation has a direct impact on Finnish working life. Many progressive working life initiatives, for example on pay equity and combining family and work, currently come from the EU.
In addition to the EU working groups, we are also involved in the European Works Councils of Pro’s sectors. In EWCs, Pro's shop stewards and union experts participate in transnational company-level cooperation. The EWC represents the Group's European employees. Through the Council, company employees are informed and consulted. The Council deals with issues that concern more than two countries or a significant proportion of employees.
In addition, Pro is involved in six trade secretariats: industry, public sector, private services, construction and woodworking, food industry and transport. Each sector has its own organisation for Nordic, European and global cooperation. At the global level, we influence the development of fundamental labour rights and fair free trade and network with global companies. As a member of the STTK, Pro also follows the activities of the World Labour Organisation (ILO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
We support trade unions in developing countries - and the foundations of democracy
We currently support 12 projects of the The Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK around the world. Important themes are fundamental workers' rights and equality in working life and society. The projects are funded by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs' development cooperation funds. The projects strengthen trade unions in developing countries, increase union membership, train union activists in collective bargaining and encourage women and young people to join trade unions.
