In the Union Council election, held from 28 October to 20 November, the members of Social Science Professionals will choose a new Union Council from among their number for a four-year term. The Union Council, made up of 40 councillors, makes decisions on the main policies relating to YKA’s finances and work.
The Union Council is YKA’s highest decision-making organ. The Council is elected for a term of four years, so the Council elected in the 2025 election will serve from 2026 to 2029. The Council holds at least two meetings every year.
The Council elects a chairperson and a vice chairperson from among its members. In the autumn meeting, the Council makes decisions on the plan of action and financial plan for the coming year, and in the spring meeting it discusses the annual report and approves the accounts of the previous year. One of the main tasks of the Council is also to choose a new Board for YKA every second year. The Council also defines YKA’s main policies regarding labour market, society and education policy issues.
The constitution states that Council meetings are conducted in Finnish.
In the Union Council election, held on 28.10–20.11, the members of Social Science Professionals elected a new Union Council for a four-year term.
A total of 2,469 YKA members voted in the election. The turnout of voters was higher than in the last election, rising to 17.1 %. The turnout in the 2021 election was 15.4.
The nomination of candidates has ended. The nomination period began on 2 May and closed on 29 September at 4 p.m. Eligible candidates were those YKA members who had joined the union no later than 31 August 2025.
Election coalitions are groups formed by individual candidates. YKA’s member organisations’ lists of candidates are also considered election coalitions, and the rules pertaining to election coalitions apply to these. Anyone wanting to form an election coalition must do so in writing by the end of the nomination of candidates at 4 pm on 29.9.2025. Instructions for how to form an election coalition can be found further down on this page.
Election coalitions are important when votes are counted, as the Union Council election follows the same proportional representation system as national elections:
This means that the larger the election coalition, the easier it is for a candidate to get elected. This is why it is a good idea for individual candidates to form election coalitions with other candidates. Independent candidates who are not part of an election coalition will receive their personal vote count as their comparison number.
YKA currently has six member organisations. According to the constitution of YKA, member organisations will be treated as election coalitions if they nominate candidates for the Union Council election.
YKA’s member organisations are:
The following election coalitions took part in the 2021 Central Council election:
Get in touch with the contact person of the election coalition whose list you want to join.
We will publish the contact details for the contact person of each election coalition on this page on 16.5.2025. If you want all members to become aware on your election coalition you should inform the office of your intention to form an election coalition by 15.5.2025 on vaalit@yka.fi. You do not need to officially form the election coalition at this point. You can also inform the office about your election coalition for communication purposes later, but in the name of fairness we have set a common date when we will start to share the details of the contact persons of election coalitions.
Include the name of the election coalition, who can join the coalition, and the name, email address and phone number of the contact person.
Edistykselliset – sosialidemokraattinen vaaliliitto (Social Democratic Coalition) Open to all YKA members who support a fair working life and a society based on collective agreements. Contact person: Eetu Jokela, eetujokela@gmail.com, 044 036 6601
Lahden seudun yhteiskunta-alan korkeakoulutetut / LYKA ry (Social Science Professionals Lahti region)Members of YKA who live, study, or work in the Päijät-Häme region, or who otherwise have a strong interest in advocating for the region’s affairs, may join the coalition. Contact person: Susanna Hietala, susanna.hietalaa@gmail.com, 0509186340
Lounais-Suomen yhteiskunta-alan korkeakoulutetut (Social Science Professionals in Southwest Finland) All members of L-S YKA are welcome to register for the electoral alliance. Contact person: Eija Laitinen, eijalaitinen4@gmail.com, 040 718 9684
Pirkanmaan yhteiskunta-alan korkeakoulutetut (Social Science Professionals Pirkanmaa region) Eligible to join: Primarily YKA members who live, study, work, or identify as being from Pirkanmaa. However, the list is open to all YKA members who wish to advocate for Pirkanmaa’s interests and commit to the shared goals of the coalition. Contact person: Tuomas Huhtala, tuomas.huhtala@hotmail.com, 040 571 9194
Pääkaupunkiseudun yhteiskuntatieteilijät / Pääsy (Social Science Professionals of the Capital Region) The election coalition is open to everyone. Contact person: Ilkka Tiensuu, ilkka.tiensuu@gmail.com, 0405271189
Savo-Karjalan YKA (Savo-Karjala YKA) All YKA members from the Savo-Karelia region are welcome to join the election coalition. Contact person: Jaakko Honkalampi, Savo-Karjalan.yka@gmail.com, 0443992929
SYY-Jyväskylä (Student members from Jyväskylä) Contact person: Janni Koskinen, janni.j.koskinen@student.jyu.fi, 040 054 6601
SYY Kuopio-Joensuu (Student members from Kuopio & Joensuu) Contact person: Silja Järvinen, sm.jarvinen@proton.me, 044 30 794 33
SYY-Tampere (Student members from Tampere) YKA members studying social sciences at the University of Tampere are welcome to join the election coalition. Contact person: Tatu Heiskanen, tatu.heiskanen@tuni.fi, 0443055385
SYY-Wasa (Student members from Vaasa) Contact person: Aleksi Peltosaari, aleksi.peltosaari@gmail.com, 040 480 7580
Vihreä lista (The Greens Coalition) We, the Greens, strive for a responsible, sustainable, and forward-looking trade union movement that cares for the most vulnerable and takes global and ecological responsibility. All candidates who think green are warmly welcome to join! Contact person: Anne Soinsaari, anne.soinsaari@gmail.com, 040 829 1256
The contact person appointed for the election coalition fills out the election coalition form for member organisations or the notification of forming an election coalition. The contact person must sign the forms.
The form must be posted or emailed to YKA’s office by the end of the nomination of candidates at 4 pm on 29.9.2025:
vaalit@yka.fi
Social Science Professionals Mikonkatu 8 A, floor 9, 00100 Helsinki
An election alliance is a group of election coalitions. Like election coalitions, election alliances must also be formed in writing.
The following election alliances took part in the 2021 Union Council election:
The election coalition contact persons fill out the notification of forming an election alliance. The contact persons must sign the form.
