MEMBER BENEFITS. LAL, the Finnish Union of Experts in Science. what does the membership fee cover?

Transcription

1 MEMBER BENEFITS 2014 LAL, the Finnish Union of Experts in Science what does the membership fee cover?

2 Contents 4 A wide range of services for you! 6 Help with employment issues 8 Support for career development 10 Unemployment security 12 Insurance benefits 14 Publications 16 Personal legal advice 17 Comprehensive online service at your disposal 18 Leisure benefits 20 Office contact information If you have to take an employment-related matter to court, the maximum compensation paid from your legal expenses insurance 14,000 will cover your membership fees for a period of about 40 years. Without the support provided by the union, I wouldn t have stood a chance against my employer when I was illegally fired not enough money nor enough courage, for that matter. A GRATEFUL MEMBER 2 3

3 The union membership fee is tax-deductible. On average, an LAL member can deduct 40 per cent of the fee, meaning that the net payment is only 209 per year (2013). A wide range of services for you! LAL OFFERS ITS MEMBERS an extensive and competitive package of services and benefits. These include the protection of interests and advice on employment issues, professional liability and legal expenses insurance, earnings-related unemployment allowance, and support for career development and finding a job. As a member, you have access to information on the labour market situation that is not available anywhere else. Our member services have been selected to meet the needs and wishes of various member groups considering their age, life situations and careers. We regularly conduct surveys on the satisfaction of our members with LAL s member services, and improve them on the basis of the results. The services have been designed and negotiated for you, so be sure to use them! Membership is always beneficial It is great if you never run into problems or need to apply for unemployment allowance, seek advice on employment issues or use legal services through the union. But even if that were the case, you have certainly benefited from the efforts of LAL, Akava (the Confederation of Unions for Professional and Managerial Staff) and its negotiation organisations YTN or JUKO to watch over your interests. Were it not for the pay reviews enabled by negotiations, the purchasing power of your salary would shrink year by year. Trade unions also exert an influence on labour legislation and social benefits. Belonging to a union is much more than preparing for possible unemployment or conflicts in the workplace. As a member, you receive a lot of valuable information. For example, if salary advice provided by LAL helps you to negotiate a monthly salary that is 100 higher, your membership fee will pay itself back many times over. In addition to the protection of interests and employment services, LAL offers you a range of benefits related to your private life and leisure time. If you use them systematically, you can enjoy great benefits every day of the year. For more information on member services and benefits and their terms of use, go to the LAL website at All contact information can be found at the end of this brochure. 4 5

4 Help with employment issues WE AT LAL know the situation on the labour market and the jobs in the field of science. Our agreements and bargaining officers can provide you with personal advice on and help with issues related to employment contracts, pay negotiations and interpreting labour laws. If you have any questions about employment, you can contact our agreements and bargaining officers. Each employer sector private, university, government and municipal has its own officer. Questions are answered both over the phone and by . Where necessary, a personal meeting can also be arranged. If you have employment-related problems that cannot be resolved by negotiating with the employer or with the help of the workplace representative, you can contact an LAL agreements and bargaining officer for advice and, if need be, help with negotiations. If a dispute escalates and is taken to court, you can receive legal assistance. LAL agreements and bargaining officers can provide advice on issues such as the following: Reviewing and commenting on employment contracts Pay Dismissals Temporary lay-offs Unemployment benefits Working abroad Working time Annual holiday Family leave The cooperation procedure Questions about union representation in the workplace The agreements section of the LAL website at provides a brief introduction to labour legislation. A member felt that he had been illegally fired. The union agreements and bargaining officer found that the required criteria were fulfilled. A claim for compensation of six months salary was submitted to the employer due to the illegal dismissal. After negotiations, the employer consented to this demand in order to avoid legal proceedings. The member received an amount corresponding to six months salary as compensation for unjustified termination of employment. Salary advice for your support The salaries of our members vary greatly depending on their duties, sector, responsibilities and length of work experience. Salary advice is an important part of the personal protection of interests offered by LAL. As a member, you can use this service when negotiating your salary with your supervisor/ employer or applying for a new job, for example. On the Members Intranet of the LAL website, you can use an application that allows you to view actual salaries by defining a set of background variables. The application has been created in collaboration between LAL and three other unions (the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists, the Union of Finnish Academic Foresters and the Finnish Union of Environmental Professionals), on the basis of information from an annual labour market survey. The application shows you actual salaries paid in the field. Sector-specific salary advice is provided by the agreements and bargaining officer of each sector. Contact information can be found on page 20. According to labour market surveys, the monthly salaries of those who have made use of the union s recommendations in negotiations are around 200 higher, on average. 6 7

5 A member had a mentor who worked for a large chemical industry plant in her university town. After she graduated, she applied for a job at another plant owned by the same organisation in another town. During the job interview process, the interviewer contacted the mentor. The member was convinced that mentoring had a crucial impact on her getting the job. Support for career development LAL PROVIDES its members with support at all stages of their careers. Every year, we organise training events related to job searching and career building in all towns and cities with universities. These events are designed to take both recent graduates and those with longer careers into account. Our training events provide you with information, advice and tools for finding a job and managing your career development. Training events are marked in an events calendar found on the LAL website. The date, programme and registration information are stated for each event. The LAL website also offers a wealth of information to support you in planning your career and orientation choices: career_and_work. You can find descriptions of professions and job titles in the field of science as well as instructions for applying for a job, for example. Feedback on job applications and CVs When seeking employment, it is important that both the application and CV are well written. Their contents, structure and manner of communication are all significant. LAL offers its members an opportunity to receive comments and suggestions for improvements on CVs and job applications. Documents submitted for commenting can be written in Finnish or English. Please send your documents to urapalvelut@ luonnontieteilijat.fi either in Word or RTF format (not PDF). Save your CV using your member number and your job application using your name (not CV.doc, for example). Before you sign an employment contract... An employment contract specifies the key terms of employment that affect not only your salary and work but also your leisure time. It is not irrelevant what is included in your contract. When making a contract, it is possible to influence many matters that can be difficult to change later on. For example, compensation for commuting time can be separately agreed on in an employment contract, if the employer is otherwise not liable to compensate for it. As an LAL member, you can receive personal advice on concluding an employment contract. Before you sign a contract, you should contact an LAL agreements and bargaining officer to ensure that it includes all the necessary details. You do not have to sign an employment contract immediately. Mentoring can clarify your career plans get started now! Intimidated by the world of work at a loss about your career? How do I transfer from university to the private sector? Mentoring may be the answer to your career problems. LAL s mentoring programme is designed to help those who have reached a turning point in their careers. It is intended for recent graduates, new doctors and soon-to-be graduates who are undecided about their place in the working world. Those who have completed this programme have formed a clearer idea of their dream job and their own strengths, established contacts and received tips for creating a career path. 8 9

6 Unemployment security ORDINARY MEMBERS of the Finnish Union of Experts in Science are covered by unemployment insurance from the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees (Erko). However, receiving earningsrelated unemployment allowance is subject to many conditions and requirements, such as the required length of employment before becoming unemployed. Be sure to read the conditions carefully! For more information on your unemployment security, visit the LAL website at The Erko Unemployment Fund website can be found at The address of the office is erityiskoulutettujen.tk (at) erko.fi. Further information is also available on the pages of the Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ) at Student members unemployment security A student member may join the fund if he or she has a valid employment contract. Student members can begin to accumulate the weeks of work required while studying. All work is accepted: the field does not have to be same for which the student is training. Earnings-related unemployment allowance can be paid after graduation or when studies have verifiably been discontinued, if the student has worked for at least 34 weeks or 26 weeks from 1 January Student members can join the unemployment fund by notifying the union office. You can also submit a notification in advance if you know the start date of your employment contract. Your weeks of work will begin to accumulate on the day you join the fund, and the higher membership fee will be collected from the beginning of the next month. Academically educated people are also increasingly often faced with temporary unemployment when seeking their first job, between temporary jobs, as a result of reorganisation, etc. Even if you are unemployed for a short period of time only, earnings-related unemployment allowance will cover your membership fee for many years. As an ordinary member, you can apply for a reduction of your membership fee if your gross income is below 2,600 for at least four months

7 Insurance benefits THE FINNISH UNION OF EXPERTS IN SCIENCE (LAL) has taken out the insurance presented below for its members from If P&C Insurance Company Ltd. Professional liability and legal expenses insurance This benefit is only available through the union, and its value may amount to thousands of euros. The liability insurance covers personal injuries and property damage that is suffered by your employer, colleague or a third party because of your mistake or negligence at work and for which you are legally liable. The maximum compensation for personal injuries and property damage is 85,000. The deductible per incident is 100. The legal expenses insurance covers legal expenses in civil and criminal cases related to the insured s employment, and in matters considered as administrative procedures or cases involving the application of administrative law. A claim for legal expenses can be made in case of a charge or contested claim. The maximum compensation is 10,000. If a lawyer appointed by the union is used, the maximum compensation is 14,000. The deductible per incident is 15 per cent of the costs, or a minimum of 250. If a lawyer appointed by the union is used, the deductible per incident is 10 per cent of the costs, or a minimum of 250. The insurance policy number is Employees group life insurance The central labour market organisations have agreed on the provision of life cover for employees. Policies are taken out by employers, who also pay the premiums. The liability to take out insurance applies to all employers whose binding collective agreement contains regulations on group life insurance, or in whose field a general national collective agreement containing such regulations is in force. Additional information can be found at The value of continuous leisure-time traveller s insurance is 60 per year. A member felt that she was being discriminated against in the filling of a vacant position because of her gender. The union agreements and bargaining officer found that the member s demand for examining the legality of the case was justified. A claim was made on the legal expenses insurance, and the case was referred to a law firm, which instituted legal proceedings against the employer on account of illegal filling of a vacancy. The costs were covered by the union s legal expenses insurance, excluding the deductible. The member won the case and got the job. Leisure-time traveller s insurance LAL has taken out union insurance for its members that also includes leisure-time traveller s insurance. The insurance is valid on leisure-time trips in Finland and abroad. An uninterrupted journey may last no more than 45 days. The insurance covers treatment costs for travel illness or a travel accident, without a maximum limit in euros or a deductible. The insurance policy number is Organisation insurance LAL has taken out insurance for its members in case of personal injuries and property damage occurring while performing organisational duties. The insurance is valid worldwide in connection with organisational activities. Organisational duties are ones performed when, for example, attending or travelling to and from meetings of the union or participating in the activities of LAL s branches. The insurance policy number is Other insurance benefits, If For further information on the insurance benefits provided by the Finnish Union of Experts in Science, please visit and (in Finnish only) 12 13

8 luonnontieteiden akateemisten liitto akademiska naturvetarförbundet lal ry:n jäsenlehti 4/2013 luonnontieteilijä 3/ Vero-opas apurahansaajille LAL 2012 Publications USA:n kasvavat terveysmarkkinat Kasvaako uusiutuva energia sivupuroista valtavirraksi? Fuusioenergia haasteena MEMBERS OF the Finnish Union of Experts in Science receive the following publications (available in Finnish only): Luonnontieteilijä magazine The Luonnontieteilijä magazine provides information on the union members social and professional situation and salaries, the activities of advocacy organisations, collective events, training, member benefits and topical issues concerning the field. The magazine is published six times a year, and it is mailed to your home address. An online version of the magazine is also available. Akava calendar The Akava calendar is a pocket-sized calendar full of information. It contains useful information on science, the working world and everyday life. The calendar is mailed to your home. If you do not wish your name to be included on the list of members published alongside the calendar, please contact Membership Secretary Heidi Miettinen or opt out on the Members Intranet. Procurement guide for the laboratory sector The procurement guide for the laboratory sector is published every other year. It lists the manufacturers The magazine deals with important professional matters and fosters our professional identify it contains fascinating articles about interesting subjects. READER SURVEY 2011 The guide addresses issues related to the taxation of grant income, particularly for those working as researchers. Orders: lal@luonnontieteilijat.fi The guide provides brief descriptions of the most common issues encountered by doctoral students, such as what is meant by total working time and how their pay is determined. Available also in English. and sellers of laboratory equipment and supplies, chemicals and other laboratory products. The guide is edited by Tapio Riiheläinen. It is mailed to the home address of all ordinary members. To view the online version or place an order, please visit Guide for environmental survey services The guide for environmental survey services is published every other year. It provides an easy reference to companies and institutes offering research services and environmental analyses. The guide is edited by Gabriel Zewi, It is mailed to the home address of all ordinary members. Orders can be placed via If you do not wish to receive some of the abovementioned publications, check the box next to it on the Members Intranet at and do the environment a favour! 14 15

9 Comprehensive online service at your disposal Personal legal advice As an LAL member, you have access to free personal legal advice over the phone. By anticipating your rights and obligations, you can often avoid conflicts and damage. Asking for advice early enough is an easy way to contribute to your legal protection. This service is also available to family members living in the same household. Counselling is provided by Attorneys-at-Law Juridia Bützow in private legal matters. You can ask for advice on inheritance and wills, prenuptial agreements, gifts and division of the property, and responsibilities in selling and buying a home or property. Advice is not given on matters related to employment, unemployment security, insurance, pensions and social security in general, since this would usually require thorough examination of written material. When you need legal advice, telephone the office of Juridia Bützow on a weekday between 10 am and 4 pm. Helsinki Hämeenlinna Tampere Turku Jyväskylä THE LAL ONLINE SERVICE is available at It provides more detailed descriptions of the member services and benefits, information about the union and its members, as well as the following: News Luonnontieteilijä online magazine and related blogs An events calendar Information from labour market surveys Job searching and career pages Information on grants A procurement guide for the laboratory sector Frequently asked questions A price list and reservation form for the union s holiday cabin Koljonhelma Student pages By logging in to the Members Intranet on the right-hand side of the page, you can access additional information that is only available to members. The Members Intranet includes the following, for example: Legal information A salary evaluation application Identifiers needed for using member benefits Forms related to membership and the membership fee Viewing and updating your member details To login, you need your member number, which is printed on your membership card. You can also ask for your set of credentials online if you have provided your address, to which it can be automatically sent. If necessary, you can also contact the LAL office. Tell the person answering the phone that you require legal advice provided for members of the union. If you can also identify the correct branch of law, it will be easier for the switchboard to put you through to a suitable lawyer. Tell the lawyer your name and member number. The usual fee for private legal advice in law firms is 200 per hour. On the basis of the union s annual salary survey, a salary evaluation application has been created using actual salaries. It shows that the median salary of a man graduated in 2001 who conducts research at a university and has a fixed-term employment contract was 3,017/ month in the autumn of The median salary of a man graduated in the same year who works in a similar position in the pharmaceutical industry and has a permanent job was 4,235/month. If you have no access to researched salary information provided by the union, you could lose out on as much as 1,000/month in salary negotiations. How much will that amount to if you stay in the same job for years? 16 17

10 Leisure benefits Holiday cabins and apartments The union s holiday cabin Koljonhelma in Nummi-Pusula. The holiday apartments of the Union of Sales and Marketing Professionals (SMKJ) in Levi, Ruka, Ylläs, Tahko and Meri-Teijo. Read more on the Members Intranet. The fitness overhaul and family holidays of PHT (an association promoting the health and well-being of salary earners) The holiday cabins of A-lomat, see Hostelling International Finland The rents of Koljonhelma can be found on the LAL website. Reservations are managed by Heidi Miettinen. Benefits agreed by Akava Members of Akava s affiliates are entitled to a range of discounts on hotel accommodation and cruises, on car rental and at service stations. Discount agreements are annually reviewed. For up-to-date information, go to More detailed descriptions of the benefits and the required identifiers are available on the Members Intranet. Jäsenedut.fi portal Jäsenedut.fi is a member benefits portal for all Akava unions. If offers all kinds of benefits from travel to health care and hobbies. Register as a user at to gain access to all benefits and services provided by this portal. You can also subscribe to a newsletter to receive topical offers and information on new benefits directly to your

11 At your service LAL office staff General secretary Jari Lehto, M.Sc. State sector agreements and bargaining Tel or mobile Agreements and bargaining officer Anna Hellén, LL.M. University sector Tel or mobile Agreements and bargaining officer Irmeli Puntari, M.Sc. Private sector Tel or mobile Agreements and bargaining officer Suvi Liikkanen, M.Sc. Substitute Kirsi-Marja Valariutta Municipal sector Tel or mobile Student secretary Antti Väisänen, Undergraduate student of Science Student matters Tel Communications officer Anna Melkas, M.Soc.Sc. Editor of the Luonnontieteilijä magazine, communications Tel or mobile Membership secretary Heidi Miettinen Member fees, Koljonhelma reservations, telephone service Tel Office secretary Eila Ruonala Office services, membership register Telephone service Mon Thu 9 am 12 noon Tel Financial secretary Riitta Aarrevuo Payments and transactions Tue, Wed, Fri Tel or mobile OFFICE CONTACT INFORMATION Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 6 A, Helsinki Tel Fax lal@luonnontieteilijat.fi Luonnontieteilijat Expand your network Join the LAL Luonnontieteilijät group on LinkedIn!