The YTN private teaching sector consists of universities of applied sciences, general education institutions, vocational schools, music schools, as well as adult education centres.
There are three collective agreements in the sector. The collective agreement of the private teaching sector, the collective agreement of Vocational Adult Education Centres and the collective agreement of the Universities of Applied Sciences (in Finnish).
Universities of applied sciences were separated from the collective agreement of the private teaching sector in early 2024, and the staff of the universities of applied sciences received their own collective agreement. It entered into force at the beginning of April. Read the press release on the collective agreement (in Finnish).
Collective agreement for universities of applied sciences
YTN is a contracting party to the universally binding collective agreement of universities of applied sciences. It employs approximately 11,000 employees in 21 universities of applied sciences operating in the administrative sector of the Ministry of Education and Culture. We negotiate the collective agreement of the universities of applied sciences together with Finnish Education Employers, representing the employers, and the Trade Union of Education in Finland, OAJ, representing the employees.
YTN started its operations in the private teaching sector and universities of applied sciences in August 2022, and as a result of lengthy work, a collective agreement was reached for senior salaried employees in the sector. There are two staff groups in the collective agreement: expert and support staff, and teaching staff.
The YTN affiliate members now have employee representatives based on the collective agreement, that is, chief shop stewards or shop stewards. With the new collective agreement for universities of applied sciences, the working conditions and terms of all highly skilled employees working in the sector can be developed on an equal footing. In case of possible disputes, the employee representatives will also be there to support the members.
Who are the YTN affiliate members working in the sector?
Our members work in universities of applied sciences in teaching, expert and support staff positions. Their work is characterised by independence, responsibility and expert skills and a higher education degree. The largest member groups in the private teaching sector are graduate engineers, economists, members of Akava Special Branches, engineers, members of the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers (FUURT) and Bachelors of Business Administration. Our group also includes social science professionals, lawyers, psychologists and the members of Loimu and Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists.
Get involved in activities in the sector!
In order for us to specifically promote your matters, the preparation of the negotiation objectives and other matters takes place in the background groups composed by actives of the sector’s workplaces. The background group is composed of shop stewards, contact persons and staff association actives working in the sector.
At the same time, the flow of information becomes more efficient and members have the opportunity to participate more actively in the development of their working conditions.