The Finnish Union of University Lecturers - Yliopistonlehtorien liitto

Activities and goals

The Finnish Union of University Lecturers (YLL) is a trade union for all teaching staff at the non-professorial level, whether tenured or untenured. YLL watches over the interests of its members (currently around 1 700) through OAJ (Opetusalan Ammattijärjestö ry) and seeks to promote teaching and research as well as the continuing development of the universities. YLL functions as the university branch of OAJ.

The university lecturer's profession

Lecturers are responsible for a large part of the teaching in universities. Instruction at this level is based on high-level teaching skills supported by up-to-date research results. The lecturers duties thus involve the continuous developing and updating of teaching on a research-driven basis. The reform concerning the allocation of university teachers' annual 1600 hours of work allows time spent on research to be included among lecturers' official duties.

The work done by lecturers has great social impact. The profession is one which is the outcome of a long period of study. Its practice demands the acquisition a broad knowledge base, for the lecturer is, after all, an educator of experts.

Organization

The supreme decision-making body of YLL is the bi-annual General Meeting. Within YLL there are 17 registered university-based chapters, the representative of which can cast as many votes at the General Meeting as the number of its members allows.

Modes of operation

The Union makes proposals and initiatives, issues statements, organizes in-service education, undertakes negotiations, prepares briefings and, through OAJ, maintains contact with the government departments and other official bodies whose decision-making powers affect its members. YLL publishes the journal Acatiimi jointly with the Finnish Union of University Professors (Professoriliitto) and the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (Tieteentekijöiden liitto).

YLL owns a publishing house, Oy Finn Lectura Ab, founded in 1986, which primarily focuses on the publication of textbooks for use in adult and university education. Most of the authors are university lecturers.

YLL safeguards the interests of its members through the Public Sector Negotiating Commission of AKAVA (JUKO) and through OAJ, to which it makes proposals. Currently the Union is aiming through OAJ to secure the following:

  • improvement in lecturers' salaries, which have lagged appreciably behind those in other sectors
  • improved opportunities for lecturers to engage in scientific research or artistic activities as part of their official duties. This should be done, in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement, by decreasing a lecturer's teaching duties
  • greater consideration to be given to teaching merit and the publishing of textbooks when filling posts
  • greater respect for teaching at universities
  • members' interests safeguarded in the reform of the existing salary structure

The Union of University Lecturers as part of OAJ

The Union functions as a national branch of OAJ and is thus part of its organizational structure. YLL is represented on the elected Council of OAJ in proportion to its membership.

As a national member union of the umbrella organization OAJ, YLL coordinates moves to safeguard its members' interests and deal with their problems and questions.

Influence on educational policy

The life of the universities is crucially influenced by how educational policy as a whole is perceived across the country. Traditionally, for, example, the emphasis has been on securing free and equal opportunities to education. These principles continue to be relevant in situations where proposals are heard with respect to reallocating the financial burden of maintaining the universities. It is only by being well organized that it is possible to have any marked influence over national educational policy. YLL is supported in its activities by OAJ and its 120 011 members. OAJ's experts are heard by parliamentary committees in issues relating to national education policy.

Lecturers and the university administration

It is not possible for lecturers, nor for that matter for members of any single profession, to constitute a majority in the governing bodies of the university. Nonetheless, and perhaps precisely for the reason that it is they who provide the major part of the teaching given by academic staff in the universities, lecturers should be better represented in university government. It is the task of YLL to support those lecturers who have been elected to governing bodies and, where necessary, make up for lack of numbers by quality of representation.

Members' benefits

Every member of the Union is also a member of OAJ and of the teachers' unemployment benefit fund. The fund pays income-related unemployment benefit to its unemployed members. Members are also entitled to assistance from union representatives, legal advice in matters concerning terms of employment, liability and legal protection insurance, life, travel and accident insurance with Sampo, the OAJ diary, an OAJ credit card, the various recreational and cultural activities organized by OAJ, and the weekly periodical, Opettaja. Members may also take advantage of the special group insurances offered by Pohjola (a group life and accident insurance company).

Members have the opportunity to participate in the development of the profession and in training sessions on current union matters arranged by the union. Members are also entitled to a 20% discount on books published by Oy Finn Lectura Ab. Members also receive the university teaching staff journal, Acatiimi.

Furthermore, members share in the benefits offered by AKAVA, including discounts at the travel agency Suomen Matkatoimisto, holiday opportunities arranged by A-lomat, and an Esso service station credit card.

Legal protection and advice

As a member of YLL, you are also a member of a larger community, which lays a more solid foundation for the safeguarding of members' legal rights in employment matters. Lecturers' conditions of employment, social security and taxes are complex issues which demand a certain level of expertise. YLL members are entitled to legal advice in these matters at the more general level as well as in cases of individual problems.

Join the Union!

The more members we have, the more powerful our union will be. Many employee benefits are a direct result of the work done by the Union, whose central task is to promote the interests of lecturers. Besides being entitled to income-related unemployment benefit, members can get advice and support at difficult junctures in their professional life.

Individual members join the Union through one of its local chapters. To be eligible for membership you will need to have at least seven hours per week of teaching at a university. This minimum employment requirement will have to be met for 43 weeks in two years´ time. You can become a member by simply filling in a form which you can either get from the Union representatives at your university (YLL chapter chairman, secretary, etc.) or request from the YLL office in Helsinki. The form is all that is needed to authorize your employer to deduct the membership fee and to join the local YLL chapter which will process your application. Membership fees (for both OAJ and YLL 1.3% of one´s wages) are tax deductible.

Yliopistojen opetusalan liitto YLL – Förbundet för undervisningssektorn vid universiteten YLL
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