Federation of Special Service and Clerical Employees ERTO
We are an organization of employees working in expert positions in the private service sector.
Our members represent a wide variety of fields, such as information technology, transportation and forwarding, advertising, market research, new media, health care and social services, financial management, physical exercise, culture, free-time activities and other special fields.
10 reasons to join ERTO
- ERTO protects you interests in the labour market
- Influences labour legislation
- Provides training for members and shop stewards
- Offers support and assistance in the workplace through shop stewards
- Gives advice on employment contracts
- Provides legal assistance and free legal aid
- Pays unemployment benefits in case of lay-offs or unemployment
- Offers excellent insurance coverage
- Publishes a membership magazine 8 times per year
- Organizes union meetings and events and offers special discounts
How to join ERTO?
To join ERTO, complete the membership application form on the Internet or print it and send it to ERTO. The easiest way of joining ERTO is to fill out the electronic form on the Internet. If you fill in the pdf-membership application form, you can indicate whether you will pay your union dues yourself or whether you want your employer to withhold them from your pay. For this, you will need a power of attorney that will be sent to you from ERTO as soon as you have joined.
If you want to take a closer look at the form, print the pdf file on this page. Application forms are also available from ERTO's shop stewards, contact persons, or the union office. You can use the same form to join ERTO and to make an agreement with your employer on withholding union dues from your pay. Copy the form and ask your employer to sign the union dues agreement.
Benefits for members
The union dues are a small tax-deductible sum of money withheld from your salary every month. ERTO reports the union dues received directly to the tax authorities.
As a trade union member, you will enjoy the benefits offered by the collective agreement and receive information about employment contracts and other labour issues. Union lawyers will also assist members to settle disputes that may arise with the employer. The union dues also include legal expenses insurance to cover the cost of employment disputes.
As a union member, you are eligible to earnings-adjusted benefits in the event that you become unemployed. For more details about unemployment benefits, please visit the Fedration of Unemployment Funds in Finland's website.
The union dues include extensive insurance coverage from the federation, complete with travel insurance. In addition, members can make use of the federation’s timeshares and receive discounts and special offers from banks, shipping lines and hotels. Other benefits of membership in the federation include training, a magazine for members, and a calendar. Click here to see a list of membership benefits in 2009.
Insurance
Basic insurance coverage for members is provided by statutory social security that is supplemented with the collective labour agreement, group life insurance negotiated by the central employee organisations, a special union-specific insurance, and any additional insurance you may take out for yourself.
Statutory insurance provides coverage primarily for those who are gainfully employed.
Concluding collective labour agreements and ensuring compliance
ERTO's primary task is to protect the interests of its membership in the labour market. By far the most effective way of doing so is to conclude collective labour agreements and ensure that they are complied with.
A collective labour agreement is a nation-wide agreement between a trade union and an employer organisation specifying the salary to be paid and other terms and conditions of employment. Collective labour agreements define the minimum terms and conditions of work, such as earnings, overtime pay, holidays, occupational health care, etc. In their individual employment contracts, employees may naturally agree on terms that are more favourable than those stipulated in the collective agreement.
Added weight to the agreements is lent by the fact that, in Finland, membership in unions and employer organizations is high compared with other EU countries. About 80% of the employees are union members.
ERTO negotiates nation-wide collective labour agreements for seven fields of activity. For fields of activity with no collective agreement, ERTO issues salary recommendations based on research findings.
Improving working life
Intense competition has given rise to harsh values in working life. In contrast, the trade union movement cherishes justice, equality, and responsibility for others. We speak not only about euros and percentages but also about issues that help improve the quality of life at work, such as harmonization of work with free-time and life-long learning.
The trade union movement is an active player in developing the working life. Its main task is to uphold the welfare state by influencing the labour market and the economy. The collective bargaining system is based on the principles applied by the International Labour Organization ILO that underline the importance of co-operation between trade unions, employer organizations and the government.
The trade union movement is aware of the laws of economy in a global world and promotes human rights and basic labour rights on the international scene. National governments and states can do little to control the activities of large companies in a global economy. As a result, a key role is played by trade unions and consumers who can steer the market forces through their own actions and induce companies to shoulder their share of responsibility.
Member associations
ERTO has 6 member associations representing a number of fields of activity. Your member association is determined automatically by the field of activity of your employer.
- Erityistoimihenkilöt ET ry (ET); Association of Specialized Salaried Employees
- Logistiikan toimihenkilöt ry; Association of Salaried Employees working in Transport and Freight Forwarding
- Markkinointiviestinnän, -tutkimuksen ja uusmedian ammattilaiset ry (MaMa); Union for Professionals in Communication, Marketing Research and New Media
- Yksityisen Sosiaali- ja Terveysalan Ammattilaiset ry YSTEA; Union of Private Sector Social and Healthcare Professionals.
- Tietoalan toimihenkilöt, Association of Information Sector Employees
- Tilitoimihenkilöt ry (TITO); Association of Salaried Accountants
ERTO has eighteen local chapters that look after the interests of the membership and organize recreational activities.
Over the past few years, ERTO has grown rapidly. It has 26,000 members with women accounting for over 70% of the total. The federation is a member of the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees STTK and is not affiliated with any political party.
Union dues
The union dues payable to ERTO are 1.35% of your gross earnings subject to withholding tax (2010). However, the maximum dues are € 37 per month (2010). Minimum union dues in 2010 are € 7,50 per month. The payment includes the membership fee of the unemployment fund. Union dues are not deducted from holiday bonuses. However, union dues must be paid out of holiday pay. Union dues are tax-deductible.
Union dues can be paid in one of two ways:
- You can make a union dues deduction agreement with your employer who will then deduct the dues from your salary and pay the amount to the union. As well as making the payment, the employer is also required to provide a report of the union dues collected.
- You can also pay the union dues yourself. The dues must be paid monthly on the 15th of the month following your pay day. You will be issued twelve reference numbers for making the payments, one for each month of the year. Do not enter any message in the message section in order not to cancel the reference number. Late payment may lead to a suspension of your membership and jeopardize your unemployment support.
Union dues deduction agreement (pdf)
Payment of reduced union dues during unpaid leave and other periods of absence
Members may apply for a reduction of union dues during unpaid leave and other unpaid periods of absence. The amount of reduced union dues in 2010 is 7.50 € per month.
Reduction of union dues is granted to members who are:
- doing their military service
- on maternity, paternity or parental leave or childcare leave
- students (full-time students who have earlier been regular members)
- on fixed-term pension
- on unpaid leave (unpaid sick leave)
- on leave of absence
- fully unemployed (receiving Kela unemployment allowance or labour market subsidy).
Please note: If you receive earnings-related unemployment allowance from ERTO's Unemployment Fund, you are not entitled to a reduction of union dues. In this case union dues are automatically deducted from the earnings-related unemployment allowance paid by the Unemployment Fund.
If you are entitled to a reduction, apply for it through our electronic information system WebLyyti as soon as you go on your unpaid leave/period. You can register and sign in to the service on our website or by clicking the link found above.
How to update your membership details
If your membership details have changed (for example you have retired, have changed your address/phone number/email address/name/employer, are on unpaid leave or other period of absence or wish to terminate your membership) please fill in the "form for updating membership information 2010" and send or fax it to ERTO.
You can also update some of the information mentioned above via ERTO's electronic information system WebLyyti.
How to sign in to WebLyyti:
User ID: Your member number. Your member number is printed on your memebership card.
Password: If you are signing in for the first time, the password is your postal code and last name typed together in capital letters for example 00520WILLIAMS. You will have to change your password when you sign in for the first time. Remember to use your new password when you sign in next time.
Transferring from one union to another
If you join ERTO while you are a member of some other union, make sure that your union dues are paid right up until you join ERTO. Any break in the payment of dues will mean that your membership in the unemployment fund is suspended and you may not be eligible to unemployment support.
