Member's rights

Tatte membership guarantees certain benefits. Among other things, we safeguard our members' legal and social rights at the workplace and provide assistance in work-related matters. Benefits from the Teachers' Unemployment Benefit Society, the Acatiimi magazine, and various other privileges are also included.

Legal and social rights at the workplace

To make all this possible, there is first of all the system of shop stewards maintained by the central organisation AKAVA through its negotiation organ AKAVA-JS. These stewards provide a link between the employee and the employer to negotiate on matters relating to individual and collective conditions of employment contracts. This is an essential system for watching over members' rights.

Should problems or questions arise, you should contact our chief shop steward ("pääluottamusmies" in the list) .

The elected officials of Tatte give their assistance and support on a voluntary basis. As specialists of our institution, they should be able to find a suitable channel for you to take forward your initiatives or problems. FUURT's office in Helsinki sees to individual members' matters as much as it can. It has a contract with a law firm for urgent legal matters. FUURT officials also provide negotiation help for us when necessary.

Unemployment benefits

The Teachers' Unemployment Benefit Society handles matters of those members who are entitled to unemployment benefits, that is, who have, first of all, received wages regularly, and, secondly, have also been paying union membership fees for a sufficient time (10 months). For more information, see the FUURT webpage. In general, a scholarship does not entitle a member to unemployment benefit. For those not insured by the Society there is the Central Pension Security Institute (KELA), which sees to several benefit matters from pensions to unemployment benefits. Thinking of pensions, your future pension does not accrue from work on a scholarship. Therefore, those who expect to rely on grants for a long time may also want to consider taking up a personal insurance policy securing old-age livelihood.

Acatiimi magazine

The main information channel between the Union and its individual members is the Acatiimi magazine. Acatiimi is published jointly by FUURT, the Union of Professors, and the Union of University Lecturers. The magazine covers general matters as well as more detailed issues concerning collective negotiations, developments within the university sector, and new challenges to the members. It also offers an open forum for comments and discussion. When you are a member of Tatte, you will receive Acatiimi 9 times a year.

Letters to members and web pages

Tatte sends letters to the members at least twice a year. These letters offer some basic information about urgent matters as well as invite everybody to the general meetings. Tatte is also in the Internet. It is the place to look for when you want to find something about future events, recent developments, and contact information. Also FUURT has its web pages, containing lots of information about the Union.

Further information

General information on matters such as work permits, immigration, refugee status, equality, work safety, sickness benefit, taxation and other work-related matters is best available from the relevant sources: the Ministry of Labour, Directorate of Immigration, the police, tax offices, the Agency for Welfare and Health, occupational safety district inspectors, and so on.