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 The Union President (who also serves as Chair of the Executive Committee) The Vice Chair of the Executive Committee The members of the Executive Committee and the Council At the Union Congress, decisions are made by members of the union who have been elected as representatives before the congress. What happens at the Union 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 union membership fee The action plan The budget The discharge from responsibility of the Executive Committee Amendments to the rules of the union 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. Members of the Council 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 ViitasaariCouncil 1. Vice Chair: Christa PessiCouncil 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: Ensures that the operations of the union and its local branches comply with the guidelines decided at the Union Congress and with the current rules. Monitors to ensure that the union’s finances are managed in line with its members’ interests. Monitors developments affecting the union’s members in the labour market and society. Prepares proposals and matters to be dealt with for the Council. 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. Members of the Executive Committee 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 BuskaTuuli ElokannasUlla FagerströmMarjo KorhonenPiia KyröHeikki LaakkonenJenni LehikoinenMerja LehtoMarko LähdesniemiHanna PuhakkaLassi RantanenMikko RuokonenKaisamari SahlmanArja VakkuriPäivi Vehmas General deputies: Liisa TamminenUlla LeskinenMelina 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: Is in charge of the union’s operations and finances Appoints the union’s Management Group Is in charge of the union’s collective bargaining Prepares matters for the Council Executes the Union Congress elections and decides on the union’s membership of organisations, with the exception of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK). 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.