JHL starts the first trade union climate forum in Finland

The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL is the first trade union in Finland to start a climate forum. The forum starts to operate in the beginning of May.
The purpose of JHL’s climate forum is to bring more knowledge about climate issues to the union members and other interested parties and tell what the trade union movement does today to fight climate change. Especially young members have been asking for environmental action from the unions, tells JHL’s Bargaining Specialist Jussi Päiviö.
– The climate forum in an answer to this. The forum seeks to make the actions of JHL and its members even more environmentally friendly.
The climate forum consists of two parts: quarterly webinars that are open for everybody, and a virtual platform for JHL members. The platform will operate in the Howspace environment. The platform is used for example for sharing topical news and ideas for workplaces and for supporting the members in taking action on climate matters. The virtual platform will open after the first climate webinar.
The first webinar is organised in Teams on Tuesday 6 May, starting at 6 pm. It deals with the members’ views on climate change and with action at workplaces. The discussion will have participants from various environmental organisations.
– As a trade union we want to discuss with different environmental experts from diverse perspectives, Päiviö comments.
Answer the survey!
We invite people to answer a brief survey (in Finnish) before the first climate forum webinar. Click this link to open the survey. You can answer the survey until 27 April.
The survey charts people’s views and opinions on climate issues and actors in working life.
The first climate-related goals were raised in JHL’s collective agreement negotiations already in 2017. Back then those goals were rejected, but now, eight years later, the time is more favourable. Certain environmental efforts have even succeeded better than expected.
– Some companies are going to have an environmental representative, whose role is to be a link between the employees and the employer in matters that are connected to sustainable development. Furthermore, many companies have promised that environmental issues will be discussed more broadly in workplace cooperation.
The climate forum is a natural next step following JHL’s collective agreement goals and sustainable development initiatives.
Use this Teams link to participate the first climate forum (in Finnish).
Answer the survey by 27 April.
More information: Jussi Päiviö, Bargaining Specialist at JHL, 040 578 5916
Join JHL!
JHL is the most diverse trade union in Finland. Our members work in about one thousand different occupations in welfare and public services. You can be for example a social welfare or health care professional, a youth worker or an early childhood education and care expert, a cleaner, a cook, a secretary, a security guard or a train conductor, and we are your trade union!
