Transferring from another union and unemployment fund

1. Choose an association based on your educational background or the type of work you do.
Read about Akava Special Branches’ 25 member associations and choose the one that suits you best. All of our members belong to one of our associations as well as to the union. You can join Akava Special Branches while still a student.

> Member associations
> Student membership

2. Fill in the membership application.

> Membership application (secure connection) 

Application is in Finnish

Member applications in English
> Municipal sector (pdf)
> State and church institutions (pdf)
> Private sector (pdf)
> Students (pdf)
 

3. How to time transfer of membership.
It is best to time the transfer of membership to start from the beginning of a calendar month in order to make calculating membership fees easier. We recommend you apply for membership to start from the beginning of the following month. Specify the date you want your membership to start from in your application otherwise, it will start from the date that the union receives your application.

4. Send your membership application to Akava Special Branches.
The union forwards your application to the association you wish to join.

Address and fax:
Akava Special Branches
Maistraatinportti 4 A
00240 Helsinki
Fax 09 147 242

Within a couple of weeks, you receive confirmation of acceptance plus the new member’s pack that contains materials about membership and a joining gift.

5. When you have received written confirmation of acceptance from Akava Special Branches, send a written resignation to your previous union giving the same date that your membership started at Akava Special Branches as the date of your resignation.

You should resign from your previous union and join the new one within one month in order to ensure uninterrupted membership of an unemployment fund as well as to guarantee that your accumulated length of employment transfers with you. Make sure your membership fees to the previous union are fully paid in the manner required in order to ensure uninterrupted membership of an unemployment fund.

Section 6 of the regulations of the Unemployment Fund for the Specially Trained (ERKO):

Joining another union:
If within one month of resigning from a fund a member becomes a member of another fund, his or her length of employment and length of membership in the previous fund shall be taken into consideration in accordance with the provisions of the law.

If you have any questions regarding application or membership, please contact the membership secretaries at Akava Special Branches on 0201 235 370.