The Finnish Food Workers’ Union SEL is a trade union for people working in the food industry. Work done by SEL members includes preparing, packing and storing food goods and maintenance and repair work. Union membership is the best way to keep yourself protected in working life and in case of unemployment. Membership of SEL is the best way to protect yourself and your colleagues.
SEL negotiates and signs the collective agreements for the bakery, meat processing, dairy, food industry and soft drink and brewery industries. SEL negotiates national collective labour agreements with industry union. These agreements define minimum levels of wage and other employment terms such as working time, overtime compensation, holidays, holiday bonus and sick pay for food industry employees. At the local level it’s then possible to agree on terms that are better than the collective agreement, but not worse.
SEL has about 28 000 members of which about 17 000 are at work age. About 64 per cent of the work force in the branch are members of the Food Workers’ Union SEL. There are 59 local union branches in the union. All of them are registered organizations of their local area or local industrial branch. The local union branch organises activities and training.
SEL’s membership fee is 1.4% and it includes also the membership fee of the unemployment fund.
Union services
SEL negotiates the collective agreements for its members. The Members can get advice on employment and wage issues from the regional and central offices. The shop stewards and the health and safety representatives are supporting the members at the work places. The members can also get legal assistance and the lawyer’s services.
As a member you have access to the union representative and occupational safety delegate at your own workplace as well as services offered by the union.
SEL’s regional offices provide services to members in all matters related to employment contracts, terms of employment, unemployment benefits and union membership.
In addition to taking care of members’ interests, the union organises training and leisure time activities and offers benefits. As member of the union you can participate in events of the union and its branches, such as cruises and Summer and Winter Events. You will also receive SEL’s Elintae magazine and the right to use the union’s and unemployment fund’s electronic services.
Watch a video: Do you work in the food industry? SEL is your union!
Look after yourself and your colleagues! This brochure tells you about the benefits of being a member of SEL. (PDF)
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Enroll a new member and receive a €20 gift card! (PDF)
Check that your wages have been paid correctly! (PDF)
SEL Congress
The Congress, which convenes every five years, is the supreme decision-making body of the union. It evaluates past performances and foreseeable future actions. The Congress elects the union’s Chairperson, the Council and the Executive Committee.
SEL Council
The Council convenes at least twice a year. It holds the highest decisive authority of the union between two Congresses. It decides issues regarding collective agreements, approves the unions’ annual operating plan and budgeting, salary administration and annual reports. The Council consists of 33 members that constitute a balanced representation regionally and sectorally.
SEL Executive Committee
The Executive Committee governs according to the statutes and the decisions made by the Congress and the Council. The Executive Committee convenes on a monthly basis. Sub-committees act to support the Executive Committee. The union Chairperson acts also as the Executive Committee Chairperson.
The union central office is located in Helsinki and there are seven local offices located in Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Lahti, Kuopio, Vaasa and Oulu.