Aliina Reinilä joined PAM and now encourages others to join
Aliina Reinilä loves poetry, music, sport and animals but also has time and energy for trade union activities. Photo: Timo Aalto
Young member’s encouraging example motivates other young people to join, too. ”Trade union provides support and information to those who are entering working life”, 18-year-old Aliina Reinilä explains.
For a student, trade union membership provides a basis for how to protect one’s own interests later in professional life and in various professional tasks, when working for different employers. In autumn 2017, when Service Union United PAM presented its activities at Aliina Reinilä’s vocational college in Ostrobothnia, Aliina and many other students did not know the union or its activities.
”I knew something about trade union activities though. My mother and grandad had told me about the unions as they have been active in municipal politics as well. I understand the meaning of trade unions but I didn’t know that you can join already while studying.”
Union membership felt tempting. Student membership is free but provides almost the same benefits as ordinary membership without, for example, employment relationship protection. Aliina also thought about the meaning of being protected when entering the labour market.
”The union provides information on employment relationship matters and supports you in signing an employment contract, for example. Union membership protects you from unemployment. I appreciate security very much and that’s why my friend Nea Kukkamäki and I joined. Last but not least, PAM people were very friendly and approachable.”
”The union provides information on employment relationship matters and supports you in signing an employment contract, for example.”
Reinilä studies in Seinäjoki to complete a Vocational Qualification in Business Management. She’s interested in trade sector working conditions and therefore wanted to join, to have an influence.
”Nea and I are members of PAM Southern Ostrobothnia branch in Seinäjoki local committee and in the youth action group of Central Finland and Ostrobothnia. It’s great to work together with older people and bring in young people’s views. They listen to us and take us seriously.”
Already at the day of their joining, the two friends acquired twelve new members. Member acquisition was rewarded by S Group vouchers, which was attractive of course but Nea and Aliina were more motivated by more meaningful things.
”It was fairly easy to convince others that joining the union pays off. Of course it’s important that the student membership is free and that the union offers good benefits to its members. But I also believe that many people think about how to secure themselves for unemployment when entering the labour market.”
After her studies Reinilä plans to apply to the university to study business administration. At the moment she’s completing her upper secondary education parallel to her vocational qualification, to complete a double degree.
”I’m interested in business. Last year I set up a 4H company, a pet care company called Hoivatassu. I take care of other people’s pets mainly in their homes or I might take one family’s pets at a time to my own place. I have two dogs myself. I also work in a pet supplies store along with my studies.”
Are you a student thinking about PAM membership?
At PAM, student membership is free. You can join us as a student member if you study in vocational college or university of applied sciences to become a service sector professional (e.g. vocational qualification in business administration or business information technology, cook, waiter, cleaning person, facility maintenance professional, guard, barber/hairdresser, beautician, bachelor of hospitality management or BBA). Student members are exempt from paying membership fees provided that they don’t receive salary or unemployment benefits.
Student members who work (for example part-time or in summer) have to join as ordinary members and pay the membership fee. Please use this form to join as an ordinary member.
Text:: Outi Rantala