Cooperation

In Finland

STTK

The Finnish Ship’s Officers’ Union has been a member of the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK) since 1989 after previously operating as a member organisation in SAK since 1972. The union participates in the activities of the Logistics STTK committee, which comprises of all unions belonging to STTK with members in the transport sector.

Paradia and KTN

The union represents the interest of its public sector members via the central organisations in the STTK with negotiating right. In the governmental sector, the union is a member of Pardia and, for the part of its members from municipal ports, also belongs to the Confederation of Employees in Technical and Basic Service Professions (KTN).

KAF

The union keeps in contact with other trade unions representing the transport sector in the Transport Unions Federation (KAF). The majority of the Finnish member associations belonging to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) are also members of the KAF. The work of the federation is mainly focused on the battle on the flag of convenience as well as general trade union issues in the transport sector. The Finnish trade unions in the maritime and port sectors that belong to the ITF collaborate and oversee the work of ITF inspectors in a coordination group.

Myte

The union agents also collaborate with other maritime organisations in an unofficial collaborative body (Myte, a collaborative body for maritime organisations) which also includes Finnish Engineers’ Association and Finnish Seafarers´ Union.

Governmental authority

The union has permanent representation in the following governmental and semi-governmental bodies:
Ministry of Transport and Communications: Committee on maritime transport
Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment: Committee on seafarer’s affairs
The Board of Seafarer’s Pension Fund
The Board of Finnish Seamen’s Service

International

NFBK

Since 1910, the Finnish Ship’s Officers’ Union has been a member of the Nordic Maritime Officers’ Association (Nordisk Fartygsbefälskongress), which represents ship’s officers in all Nordic countries.

ITF

In 1958, the union became a member of the International Transport Workers´ Federation, (ITF) as part of the publication of an international campaign on the flag of convenience. If it were not for this membership, the union would struggle to represent the interest of its members in vessels in Finnish ownership sailing under foreign flags.

NTF

In 1978, the union became a member of the Nordic Transport Workers’ Federation (NTF), where Nordic trade unions in the transport sector prepare their comments for the transport sector and take initiatives within the framework of the ITF.

IMO and ILO

Together with other seafaring organisations, the union has been actively involved in the work of special organisations of the United Nations International Maritime Organisation, IMO, which deals with maritime safety and education issues, and in the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which prepares international agreements in the field of social welfare.

ETF

The union is also involved in the activities of the European Transport Workers’ Federation (ETF). Involvement in the ETF Maritime Transport Section Baltic Committee has been found particularly important.

IFSMA

Since 1996, the union has been a member of an international organisation that represents the interest of shipmasters, International Federation of Shipmasters´ Associations (IFSMA).