We are the union for Social Science Professionals
Social Science Professionals (YKA) is a trade union representing university-educated professionals and students in the social sciences and related fields. Our 15,000+ members typically have an educational background in social sciences, political science, administration, humanities or education.
Join YKA!
Join as a student member
The world and the worklife are changing rapidly. That’s why now is the perfect time to study social sciences: your studies will help you understand change, develop your advocacy skills, and find your place in an evolving workplace – so that by the time you graduate, you’ll be better prepared to seize new opportunities!
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Membership benefits
YKA membership gives you high-quality services and valuable benefits! Join our workshops, make use of our insurance policies, ask our legal team for advice, and make an appointment for personal career guidance. Our services are tailored to social science professionals. So make the most of your services and benefits!
The 2027 parliamentary election
Towards a working life that fits means a working life that supports people’s coping, upskilling and the functioning of society. In the current world of work too many people are stressed, their skill potential is not being utilised, management work is undervalued and often under-resourced, and the functioning of the public administration is being tested.
Communities at YKA
Discover what is happening in your area! Build your network, strengthen your professional skills and enjoy a variety of events with other social science professionals. You can also explore our activities for senior members, which are open to members regardless of where they live. They offer senior members opportunities to network and take part in discussions on current social issues.
Latest News
Pay transparency is progressing – more transparency in pay systems
26.10.2026NewsThe changes required by the EU Pay Transparency Directive will enter into force in Finland at the turn of the year. The aim is to strengthen pay transparency and encourage employers to review their own pay systems. The purpose of this is to identify and correct issues such as unexplained pay gaps between genders, which are a particular problem for women with higher education degrees.
Laura Nordström: The economic debate needs social scientists
9.2.2026NewsEconomists often tend to talk about figures, such as debt, as if they were neutral truths. Social scientists can highlight how the economy and politics are intertwined, writes post-doctoral researcher Laura Nordström in her essay.
Saara Pajunen: Building expertise and confidence for working life
5.2.2026NewsI couldn’t have been happier when I got a job in my field after only three years’ study. Back then I could never have imagined that I would burn out – and have to give up my new job, writes our YKA Ambassador Saara Pajunen.
We believe that work should be about life, instead of life being about work
Work must not burn out the workers. When the conditions of employment are reasonable, leisure time won’t only be about recovery, but instead you can enjoy it fully.
YKA is building a working life for its members that fits life, and also includes breaks and transitions between jobs. Join YKA – let’s build a fairer working life together!
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Our goals
In sustainable careers, the work does not make people ill, employees develop their skills, and good management supports profitability. That is why it is our most important job as a union to build a working life that fits life.
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The 2027 parliamentary election – Towards a working life that fits
Towards a working life that fits means a working life that supports people’s coping, upskilling and the functioning of society. In the current world of work too many people are stressed, their skill potential is not being utilised, management work is undervalued and often under-resourced, and the functioning of the public administration is being tested.
Read more
Essay: Finland’s labour market reforms go further than the other Nordics
In this essay, Ilkka Kärrylä compares labour market institutions and practices in the Nordic countries. Which practices in “the Nordic model” are included in the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government and how do the labour market reforms carried out in Finland differ from Sweden, for example?
Read moreDo you have any questions?
Don’t hesitate to contact us! Please call 010 231 0350 or send us an email (jasenasiat@yka.fi) for more information.
If you need legal advice, please contact our lawyers juristit@yka.fi.