Metalworkers' Union

The Finnish Metalworkers' Union - Metalli was founded in 1899 and is the largest union of industrial workers in Finland.

The Finnish technology industry employed altogether 201 500 people in 2005. The Metalworkers' Union organises about 90 % of the blue collar workers working in the metal industry. The total union membership is some 161 000, of which 20 % are women.

All workers in a metal plant can belong to the Metalworkers' Union, including carpenters, painters and cleaners etc. The rules allow union membership also to white-collar workers unless they are in a supervisory position.

The Finnish Metalworkers' Union negotiates collective agreements for ten separate sectors: technology industry (e.g. engineering, shipbuilding, iron and steel industry, electronic industry, car manufacturing), car repair workshops, clerical employees of car retail, telecommunication industry, mining, electricity and power plants, precious metals sector, sheet metal industry, repair works for mechanical forest industry, civilian workers in the Ministry of Defence repair shops.