Having completed another merger at the turn of the year, Open Unemployment Fund A-kassa continues to grow. With the approximately 12,500 members of the Paper Workers’ Unemployment Fund transferred over to A-kassa, it now has over 250,000 members. A-kassa retains its position as the third largest unemployment fund in Finland.
A-kassa is a multi-trade unemployment fund open to all wage-earners. It provides financial security for periods of unemployment and lay-offs and also pays out other benefits, including mobility allowance and restructuring protection allowance. The merger with the Paper Workers’ Unemployment Fund further adds to A-kassa’s scope of sectors and strengthens its expertise and competence across various industries.
Why merge?
Unemployment fund mergers bring significant benefits to members. They help funds better respond to seasonal employment shifts, take on new duties, such as provision of employment services, and meet increasingly strict obligations. A larger member base helps improve a fund’s stability and allows investments in information systems, personnel training and customer service development, for instance. This translates to faster, more efficient and more flexible member services and more cost-efficient operations.
Extensive cooperation with trade unions
With Paperworkers’ Union in the fold since the turn of the year, A-kassa is now in partnership with a total of twelve trade unions. The other partner unions are the Industrial Union, the Finnish Construction Trade Union, the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union AKT, the Finnish Post and Logistics Union PAU, the Finnish Seafarers’ Union FSU, Trade Union for Theatre and Media Finland Teme, the Union of Journalists in Finland, the Finnish Actors Union, the Finnish Musicians’ Union, Ay-toimihenkilöt and The Finnish Food Workers’ Union SEL.
While the majority of A-kassa members are also trade union members, trade union membership is not a requirement for joining A-kassa.
The merger strengthens A-kassa’s position as a competent multi-trade unemployment fund that supports its members in changing life situations across all industries.
The merger does not require any action from members
The merger between the Paper Workers’ Unemployment Fund and A-kassa does not require any action from members nor does it impact their unemployment security or benefit payouts. Memberships have been transferred to A-kassa automatically without interruption at the turn of the year. The Paperworkers’ Union’s membership fee will continue to include unemployment fund’s membership fee.
