Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers
Encyclopedia
Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers TEK is a Finnish
trade union
of university-educated engineer
s, architect
s and scientist
s. In addition, the TEK is a learned society
and the professional body
of the engineering profession, and a member of the Finnish Federation of Learned Societies. The union requires that its full members have a master's degree or equivalent in engineering, architecture, mathematics, physics or in other sciences related to technology.
. During the First World War, the activities of the association widened into wider sphere of Engineering and Economics. In 1936, the association differentiated itself from the engineers and technician
s who had graduated from polytechnics, and started to require a master's degree in engineering of its members. This was signalled also in the name Suomen teknillinen seura (Finnish technological society), which excluded technician
s.
The Second World War brought about inflation which severely affected the middle classes earning fixed salaries. Little by little, the association increased its activities as the lobbying body of the engineering profession, starting to offer continuing education and pursuing studies on the social and economic standing of its membership. In 1972, the Finnish-speaking STS and its Swedish-speaking counterpart Tekniska föreningen i Finland (TFiF) formed a common trade union KAL, which started to negotiate collectively with the employers as a full-scale trade union. In 1978, the KAL started to insure its members against unemployment
and in 1984, the Finnish Association of Mathematician
s and Physicist
s (SMFL) gave the KAL a mandate to negotiate on its behalf.
The present structure of the association was formed in 1993, as the KAL and the STS, which had been in close cooperation for two decades, converged into the TEK. At the same time, the Swedish-speaking TFiF and the SMFL remained separate, although all members of the SMFL are automatically also members of the TEK.
in 2007 when the collective negotiations in the industrial design bureau branch broke up. The strike included some 6,000 engineers and scientists and lasted 11 days, resulting in a slightly better collective agreement than had been offered earlier by the employers.
As the learned society of engineering profession, the TEK engages in public discussion on the technology, engineering education and research. This contribution is supported by the studies conducted by its staff. In particular, the TEK supports active state participation in and financing of the R & D activities. Perhaps the most visible single activity of the TEK is the annual Finnish Engineering Award which is awarded to an outstanding achievement of original engineering or architectural work. As the main body of the engineering profession of Finland, the TEK has since 1966 published the Engineer's rule of honour, the ethical guidelines of engineering profession. The latest edition of the rule is from 1996.
For its members, the TEK offers the usual services provided by Finnish trade union. The tax-deductible membership fee of 296 euro
s (2008) includes the unemployment insurance and an insurance against liabilities incurred at professional practice. All members receive two weekly magazines of general engineering nature and a semi-monthly magazine specializing in labour questions of graduate engineers. In addition, the members are entitled to legal advice and legal defence in working-oriented cases, and may use the career services provided by the TEK.
Politically, the moderate right-wing National Coalition Party, is the largest single group represented in the general assembly of the TEK with 22 seats. The other major factions in the general assembly are non-partisan and represent 43 seats, leaving the remaining 9 seats to other political groups.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
of university-educated engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
s, architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s and scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
s. In addition, the TEK is a learned society
Learned society
A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...
and the professional body
Professional body
A professional association is usually a nonprofit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a...
of the engineering profession, and a member of the Finnish Federation of Learned Societies. The union requires that its full members have a master's degree or equivalent in engineering, architecture, mathematics, physics or in other sciences related to technology.
History
The TEK was founded in 1896 as the association of Finnish-speaking engineering professionals (Suomenkielisten teknikkojen seura). In early years, it was mainly a learned society, which aimed to promote the use of Finnish language in the engineering profession dominated by the Swedish languageSwedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
. During the First World War, the activities of the association widened into wider sphere of Engineering and Economics. In 1936, the association differentiated itself from the engineers and technician
Technician
A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert...
s who had graduated from polytechnics, and started to require a master's degree in engineering of its members. This was signalled also in the name Suomen teknillinen seura (Finnish technological society), which excluded technician
Technician
A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert...
s.
The Second World War brought about inflation which severely affected the middle classes earning fixed salaries. Little by little, the association increased its activities as the lobbying body of the engineering profession, starting to offer continuing education and pursuing studies on the social and economic standing of its membership. In 1972, the Finnish-speaking STS and its Swedish-speaking counterpart Tekniska föreningen i Finland (TFiF) formed a common trade union KAL, which started to negotiate collectively with the employers as a full-scale trade union. In 1978, the KAL started to insure its members against unemployment
Unemployment
Unemployment , as defined by the International Labour Organization, occurs when people are without jobs and they have actively sought work within the past four weeks...
and in 1984, the Finnish Association of Mathematician
Mathematician
A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study is the field of mathematics. Mathematicians are concerned with quantity, structure, space, and change....
s and Physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
s (SMFL) gave the KAL a mandate to negotiate on its behalf.
The present structure of the association was formed in 1993, as the KAL and the STS, which had been in close cooperation for two decades, converged into the TEK. At the same time, the Swedish-speaking TFiF and the SMFL remained separate, although all members of the SMFL are automatically also members of the TEK.
Activities
The TEK has delegated its right to negotiate collectively to two organizations. In the public sector, the JUKO (Educated employees of the public sector) negotiates collectively with the state and municipal governments for all university-level employees. In the private sector, the YTN (Negotiating organization of the upper-level salaried employees) is the body responsible for the collective agreements of university-educated staff. Although rather moderate in its bargaining, the YTN went to strikeStrike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
in 2007 when the collective negotiations in the industrial design bureau branch broke up. The strike included some 6,000 engineers and scientists and lasted 11 days, resulting in a slightly better collective agreement than had been offered earlier by the employers.
As the learned society of engineering profession, the TEK engages in public discussion on the technology, engineering education and research. This contribution is supported by the studies conducted by its staff. In particular, the TEK supports active state participation in and financing of the R & D activities. Perhaps the most visible single activity of the TEK is the annual Finnish Engineering Award which is awarded to an outstanding achievement of original engineering or architectural work. As the main body of the engineering profession of Finland, the TEK has since 1966 published the Engineer's rule of honour, the ethical guidelines of engineering profession. The latest edition of the rule is from 1996.
For its members, the TEK offers the usual services provided by Finnish trade union. The tax-deductible membership fee of 296 euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
s (2008) includes the unemployment insurance and an insurance against liabilities incurred at professional practice. All members receive two weekly magazines of general engineering nature and a semi-monthly magazine specializing in labour questions of graduate engineers. In addition, the members are entitled to legal advice and legal defence in working-oriented cases, and may use the career services provided by the TEK.
Politically, the moderate right-wing National Coalition Party, is the largest single group represented in the general assembly of the TEK with 22 seats. The other major factions in the general assembly are non-partisan and represent 43 seats, leaving the remaining 9 seats to other political groups.