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The tax deductibility of trade union membership fees has been abolished, but why is union membership still worthwhile?

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Trade union membership is still worthwhile in 2026, even though the tax deductibility of the membership fee has been removed. Belonging to a union is the most effective way to ensure fair pay, working conditions that go beyond the law, and a more humane working life. Pro is on your side: we negotiate pay rises, terms and conditions of employment, and collective agreements, and you receive comprehensive legal and career services.

Can the 2025 membership fee still be deducted in taxation?

Trade union membership fees paid during 2025 are still tax-deductible. We report your membership fees to the tax authorities automatically, and you will see the deduction on your spring 2026 tax return.

The unemployment fund fee of Pro remains tax-deductible

The membership fee of Trade Union Pro includes the membership fee of Unemployment Fund Pro (€7.50/month). The unemployment fund fee will continue to be tax-deductible, and the fund will report the payments to the tax authorities automatically – so you don’t need to do anything. You will see the fund fees you pay in 2026 on your spring 2027 tax return.

The tax benefit of the membership fee reduced taxable gross income

Previously, employees were able to deduct trade union membership fees in taxation, as these were considered income-related expenses because unions negotiate wages and other terms of employment on behalf of their members.
The membership fee was not deducted directly from taxes payable, but instead reduced taxable gross income.

Why is trade union membership worthwhile?

Trade unions negotiate pay rises and working conditions for employees in Finland. They build a more humane working life. For the price of your membership fee, unions provide career services, comprehensive legal services and legal assistance under one roof, as well as a wide range of member benefits. Only trade unions work to promote employee-friendly legislation.

A humane working life and pay rises do not happen by chance or automatically – they require thousands of hours of work and negotiations. A union membership fee is an investment in fair pay for yourself and for others.

When at least half of the employees in a sector belong to the union that has negotiated the collective agreement, everyone in the sector benefits from the agreement’s terms and conditions. This is how it works: when we are many, we take care of each other. For this to succeed, a sufficient number of people must belong to the union.

Pro is on your side

How to calculate the actual annual value of your membership
  • Did you get a pay raise? The increase negotiated this year is 7.8% over three years.
  • Are you a member of the unemployment fund? Earnings-related daily allowance during unemployment based on your income.
  • Did you ask a lawyer for advice on a difficult work situation? You saved thousands of euros.
  • Did you seek legal advice on a situation in your private life, for example regarding the division of an inheritance? You saved around 1,000–2,000 euros.
  • Did you participate in training? Professional training purchased from private service providers costs a lot.
  • Did you spend a week with a group of friends at the union's holiday resorts? You just saved hundreds.
  • Did you remember that the union has taken care of your travel and accident insurance? You save around 250 euros in insurance premiums annually.

    The union is on your side. If not the union, who else?

With your Pro membership fee, you get all this

Pro’s experienced experts negotiate collective agreements that secure better working conditions and better pay. With Pro, your voice helps shape working life across Finnish society.

Your closest Pro contact is usually your workplace shop steward or occupational health and safety representative. In addition to your workplace shop stewards, you have Pro's experts and lawyers at your disposal. They have your back and are just a phone call away when things happen in your life. We support our members both in working life and in difficult situations that life throws at them. They advise and negotiate, make agreements and even defend you in court. Legal aid is free of charge and risk-free.

Personal advice on working life issues is worth its weight in gold. In working life advice, we reduce inequality, defend adequate wages, and strengthen fair workplace structures one call and message at a time.

Even the best individual performances are prepared together - let the crowd support you. As a Pro member, you will receive confidential advice from your personal career coach. This way, your skills will not be left half-way with your skillset and you will also be prepared for unexpected changes.

As a member of Pro, you can join the Unemployment Insurance Fund Pro if you so wish. You will receive earnings-related unemployment support when its conditions are met. The processing times of Unemployment Insurance Fund Pro have been studied to be the fastest in Finland.

Pro members are offered a wide range of events and training to help them succeed in their working lives. Themes range from developing managerial skills to managing their own work and building a better everyday life.

Pro membership includes travel and leisure accident insurance. Travel insurance is valid worldwide and covers accompanying children and grandchildren under the age of 20.

We support you in finding well-being and a balanced everyday life. You can talk to experts in mental or physical well-being for free. To counterbalance your work, we also offer benefits in your free time. As a member, you enjoy discounts at various holiday destinations.

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Collective agreements far exceed the bare minimun of the law

The law does not guarantee a minimum wage. Without unions, the employer can determine it themselves. By joining a union, you ensure that wages in your industry develop along with others.

The law also does not recognize holiday pay, paid public holidays or parental leave pay. Collective agreements guarantee employees significantly more comprehensive security and better benefits than the law  – in addition to these, unions negotiate on, for example, the length of holidays, working hours and salary supplements, shift changes, longer salary payments during sick leave or daily commuting allowances.

When a union includes thousands of professionals, the bargaining power is completely different from that of an individual employee. A good example is family leave, which has been negotiated as paid in Pro's contract sectors – could you have negotiated 32 days of paid paternity leave for yourself?