YTK works to create a better working life for its members

Topics

• Income security
• Labour law
• Unemployment
• YTK

Through our more than 500 000 members, we have a rare vantage point into Finnish working life. Through the experiences of individual people, we see where the system works and where working life is changing faster than its structures.

The YTK is sometimes accused of undermining Finnish working life. On an ordinary workday, that claim seems completely absurd.

Every day, we help people overcome unemployment, return to work, and secure their employment rights. At the same time, we have an exceptionally close-up view of what is currently happening in Finnish working life. When I look at our daily work, I see building rather than erosion.

YTK Unemployment Fund safeguards its members’ livelihoods when their employment ends. Through our more than 500 000 members, we also gain a rare vantage point on Finnish working life. Through the experiences of individual people, we see where the system works and where the world of work is changing faster than its structures.

We hear about unexpectedly terminated employment relationships, layoffs, declining work capacity, unclear contracts, and prolonged job searches. But we also hear about encouraging developments: jobs found, conflicts resolved, and situations where a problem was addressed before it escalated.

When you encounter the same patterns thousands of times, it’s no longer just about individual cases. The weaknesses in the world of work become apparent. These shouldn’t just be patched up – they need to be addressed. That’s why we bring our findings to policymakers and into the public discourse. Laws, services, and the structures of the workforce must evolve alongside the changing nature of work. Our goal is simple: people must be able to return to work more smoothly after a period of unemployment, and the rules of the workforce must be understandable to everyone.

From security back to work

The Unemployment Fund Act defines the fund’s responsibilities very precisely. We could have been content with this and thought that our role ended with paying unemployment benefits, but we wanted to help in a broader sense.

During unemployment, people need not only a source of income but also opportunities to move forward. That’s why YTK Spark was created. Its services strengthen job search efforts and skills while helping people discover new opportunities in the workforce. If we can help people find a new job, a new direction, or new skills more quickly, we’ve made a real difference. Shortening periods of unemployment doesn’t weaken the workforce – it strengthens it.

Fairness also arises from everyday decisions

Fairness in the workplace requires clear rules. But it also requires assistance when people don’t know how to interpret those rules in their own situation. In 2025, YTK Worklife’s Legal Assistance telephone counseling service received nearly 15 000 inquiries, lawyers were sent nearly 8 000 messages, and more in-depth legal consultation was provided in over 1 900 cases. Behind these numbers are people for whom a problem at work is anything but a statistic: Your pay may be incorrect. The terms of your employment may change. You may be facing a hearing, a change negotiation, or the threat of termination. That’s when you need someone who knows the law and can help you move forward.

Defending an employee’s rights doesn’t have to mean a long dispute. Often, the best outcome is achieved when a problem is identified early and a solution is found based on the law and shared rules. When the rules are clear and followed, the entire workplace is strengthened.

There’s more than one way to build a working life

YTK Unemployment Fund, or YTK Worklife, does not negotiate collective bargaining agreements nor does it replace the collective advocacy carried out by the labor union movement. Our role is different. We ensure a livelihood when people lose their jobs. We help people get back to work. We provide support for workplace challenges. And through the experiences of our more than 500 000 members, we bring insight into decision-making about what really happens in the day-to-day reality of working life.

A better working life requires both effective shared structures and concrete help for the individual.

We are there in those moments when working life becomes very personal for an individual:

• when a person loses their job and needs security for their livelihood
• when a person is looking for a new job, skills, or direction
• when a work-related problem requires advice and a solution

When we realize that the same problem affects thousands of people rather than just one, our task is to bring it to light. When we help one person in the workforce, we simultaneously learn what needs to be done better for everyone’s sake.

Ilona Kangas

Director of Employment Services

I help our members and employees to succeed at work in many different ways. I lead and develop the activities of YTK Worklife and am responsible for managing customer experience, marketing and communications in YTK Work life services and fund services.