New candidates running for PAM president
A new PAM president will be elected at the Union Congress in June. Four new candidates have announced their candidacy for PAM’s president.
Petri Pasanen, who is a chair for Porvoo local branch has announced his candidacy for the president election. 40 year-old Petri holds a lower business degree and is a bar tender. He has held different posts in the service sector for more than 20 years.
”The whole trade union movement is in need of renewal and big time. A great deal of the work is laid on the shoulders of the local branches, which need young people involved in the activities but additionally in the administrative councils, where the best service sector knowhow is found”, says Pasanen.
Jouni Suomalainen is another candidate, who is running for president. Suomalainen is active in PAM’s functions and who has worked in different service sector duties. Jouni has also acted as chief shop steward, occupational safety representative and chair for a local branch.
”As PAM president, I am prepared to enhance the members’ wellbeing in workinglife, their earning situation and social prosperity in society. You should be able to survive on your wages and be able to work until your retirement in such a manner that you feel alright”, Suomalainen commented.
For president is also Ville-Valtteri Pussinen, an active union member. At the moment, he is the vice chair for local branch 721 in North Karelia. Ville-Valtteri Pussinen, 32 years and a father of three from North Karelia, has worked among others as amusement technician in the restaurant sector.
”Our work as service sector employees is undergoing change at the moment. Therefore, we need indeed to support our own regardless of sector. We need to get unnecessary part-time employments, salary competition and employer surfing back on track. During the next collective agreement bargaining, we should be able to agree on employment conditions so that we don't end up in a situation where we are competing against one another. Instead the pay level should reflect that we all belong to the same spirited community of service professionals”, says Ville-Valtteri Pussinen.
The newest candidate in the PAM president race is Tanja Aidanjuuri-Vestala. 32 year old Aidanjuuri-Vestala is residing in Vantaa, and she is a vice council member and a member of the board of directors of the local bransch of Pam-Stockmann 013. Aidanjuuri-Vestala has been working in trade all her adult life.
”Workers should now and in the future fight for their rights and each and everyone should be able to live on a salary. Therefore, we need to carefully consider wether deteriatations such as activation model, are motivating and positive", says Aidanjuuri-Vestala.
PAM’s President will be elected at the union congress, which will be held in Helsinki on 4-6 June 2019. There are 373 congress delegates, elected by PAM members, participating in the union congress. During the congress the delegates will decide on the union’s future target programme and elect members to the union’s administrative bodies.
Besides these candidates, SAK’s Director Annika Rönni-Sällinen and Jouni Tallgren, a deputy shop steward are also standing for election as PAM President.