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PAM in brief

Service Union United PAM is a trade union for people working in private service sectors. Our union has 190,000 members, two thirds of whom are women. Most of our members work in retail, the hotel, restaurant and leisure industry, property services and security services.

We negotiate collective agreements for service sectors. We improve the impact of employees on work, the workplace community, safety at work and business development. We promote democracy, fairness and social security nationally and internationally.

PAM safeguards its members’ interests

  • We bring together and unite workers in service sectors.
  • We provide our members with support and security in working life.
  • We negotiate collective agreements for service sectors and monitor their implementation.
  • We influence labour legislation.
  • We promote union representatives’ lobbying and other activities in the workplace.

PAM in figures

190 000

members

20 000

new members in 2022

71 %

women

25 %

aged under 31

2 136

union representatives

117

local branches

33

collective agreements

152

employees

Governance at PAM

Held every four years, the Union Congress is the highest decision-making body at PAM. The Union Congress determines the union’s goals and adopts its action programme. The Union Congress elects

At the Union Congress, decisions are made by members of the union who have been elected as representatives before the congress.

The Union Congress assesses the union’s operations and direction and decides on future activities by setting an agenda of goals. It elects people to serve in the administration and positions of trust in the union. It also deals with initiatives submitted by local branches.

Attendees of the Union Congress are elected from among the members

The number of representatives at the Union Congress is proportionate to the number of members: one representative for every 600 members in an electoral district or remaining factor thereof. The representatives are elected in the Union Congress elections. All members except student and pensioner members and holders of salaried positions in the union have the right to vote and to stand as a candidate in the elections.

The next Union Congress will be held in Jyväskylä on 24 to 26 October 2023. 

Council

The Council exercises decision-making power at PAM in matters that do not fall under the decision-making power of the Union Congress or the Executive Committee based on the rules of the union or the law. The Council decides on:

The Council convenes twice a year, and its term of office is four years. The spring meeting is held in May–June, and the autumn meeting in November–December. 

The members of the Council are elected at the Union Congress. They represent members of PAM from different parts of Finland and different professions.

The Council consists of the Chair, two Vice Chairs, 50 members and 10 general deputy members.

Each member of the Council has three personal deputy members. The members are elected taking into account the regions, professions and membership structure.

Council 2023-2027

Council Chair: Sami Viitasaari
Council 1. Vice Chair: Christa Pessi
Council 2. Vice Chair: Suvi Röntynen

All members and deputy members of the Council (pdf)

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee guides the practical work of the union. It is responsible for the progress of the implementation of the decisions made by the Union Congress and for managing the union’s operations.

The Executive Committee:

The Executive Committee selects the union’s Executive Director and holders of supervisory positions and appoints its Management Group. It is also responsible for the implementation of the Union Congress elections.

The Executive Committee has 11 meetings per year on average. Its term of office is four years.

The members of the Executive Committee are elected by the Union Congress. The Executive Committee consists of the Chair (Union President), her or his personal deputy member, 15 members and three general deputy members.

If changes need to be made to the composition of the Executive Committee between Union Congresses, the election is made by the Council.

The members of the Executive Committee participate in Council meetings and are involved in local planning in their respective regions. Some members of the Executive Committee are also members of the sector commissions in their respective fields.

PAM Executive Committee 2023-2027

Annika Rönni-Sällinen, President

Risto Kalliorinne, personal deputy of the President in the Executive Committee

Members:

Johanna Buska
Tuuli Elokannas
Ulla Fagerström
Marjo Korhonen
Piia Kyrö
Heikki Laakkonen
Jenni Lehikoinen
Merja Lehto
Marko Lähdesniemi
Hanna Puhakka
Lassi Rantanen
Mikko Ruokonen
Kaisamari Sahlman
Arja Vakkuri
Päivi Vehmas

General deputies:

Liisa Tamminen
Ulla Leskinen
Melina Mäkelä

Union President

The Chair of the Executive Committee serves as PAM’s Union President. The Union President is elected at the Union Congress, which is held every four years. The Union President is a full-time employee, and a personal deputy member is elected for her or him.

The Union President presides over the Executive Committee, which:

Annika Rönni-Sällinen has served as the Union President since 2019. Before that, she served as a negotiations manager at PAM and a department manager at SAK, among other positions.

Union rules

Service Union United PAM is a trade union for people working in private service sectors. Its name is Palvelualojen ammattiliitto PAM ry in Finnish and Servicefacket PAM rf in Swedish.

In the rules, PAM is referred to as “the union”, and its local branches are referred to as “branches”.

The union is domiciled in Helsinki and operates across Finland. Its languages are Finnish and Swedish. The language of its minutes is Finnish.

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