Authors

• Keckman-Koivuniemi, Hannele (University of Tampere. Department of Political Science and International Relations. Unit of Voluntary Association Research & Society for Research on Voluntary Associations and Pressure Groups)

Keywords

dissemination of information, education, elected officials, labour and employment, pre-primary school teachers, trade union membership, trade unions, working conditions

Abstract

The survey charted kindergarten teachers' views on work community, membership in the Association of Kindergarten Teachers and in the Trade Union of Education in Finland, tasks of a trade union movement, local trade union activity, and the information services of the association.

The respondents were asked questions on their education, current job, employer, nature and duration of employment contract, workload, pace of work, and salary. They were presented with a set of statements on kindergarten teachers' work community. Topics covered in the statements included distribution of work, cooperation, interaction, group size, role of the kindergarten director, and collective agreement/collective bargaining agreement. The respondents also indicated what they liked best and worst about their job.

Further questions pertained to the association membership and trade union activity. The reasons for the respondents' membership in the association were queried, as well as their elected offices in the trade union. Views on the characteristics of the association and its member services were canvassed. The respondents also indicated the duration of their membership in the association and estimated the amount of the membership fee and the properties of a good trade association.

Information services were surveyed by asking the importance of colleagues, employer, shop steward, magazines of the Association of Kindergarten Teachers and the Trade Union of Education in Finland, and TV as sources of information on the respondents' professional identity and looking after their interests. Finally, the respondents expressed their opinions on the offices of the Association of Kindergarten Teachers and the Trade Union of Education in Finland and outlined the tasks of the association in the near future.

Background variables included the respondent's gender, year of birth, municipality of residence, marital status, and number of children under 18 in the household.