Name:
- Anne-Mari Kuoppala
What do you do for a living and in which organisation?
- Structural Engineering Project Manager, Ramboll Finland Ltd
What is your role as an employee representative?
- Shop steward
How long have you been an employee representative?
- Ten years in total, alternating between primary and deputy roles
Number of people represented
- Just under 400 people
Why did you become an employee representative?
- I didn't stand for election, I received votes in an open election. I didn't dare say no after such a vote of confidence.
What have you achieved as an employee representative?
- I've been involved in negotiating some local agreements, particularly in relation to local pay rises. I’ve also put effort into improving employees’ work guidance.
What is the hardest aspect of being an employee representative?
- Sharing information. Getting the message across correctly and in an understandable way.
What is the easiest aspect of being an employee representative?
- Working with other employee representatives.
What is the best aspect of being an employee representative?
- Being able to help employees, both individually and collectively.
What is the worst aspect of being an employee representative?
- Cooperation negotiations and lay-offs.
What support do you get or need from your negotiation organisation?
- Shop steward training is a must. Lawyers and experts also help with whatever questions I might have. I also get peer support from shop stewards in other companies. And, of course, the collective agreement.
To whom would you recommend the role of an employee representative?
- Anyone who is outspoken and interested in promoting the common good. In addition, this role requires you to be able to compromise and understand the bigger picture. Sometimes you might even have to act against your own interests.
To whom would you not recommend the role of an employee representative?
- Someone who doesn't have the time or interest to deal with common issues.
What keeps you busy during the day?
- In addition to work, I take part in a wide range of volunteer and representative activities. I'm pretty bad at saying no.
What keeps you up at night?
- A random sentence I’ve uttered without thinking 12 years ago.
What is a hot topic at work right now?
- The state of the construction industry and government actions.
What should be discussed?
- Salaries. Pay transparency is a matter close to my heart.
Anything else you'd like to say?
- Although I didn’t actively seek the position of a shop steward, this role has felt right to me. So thank you to the person who voted for me in the first place. I consider it entirely possible that I’ve ended up in this position by a single vote and some lottery luck.