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Being a Student Member of a Trade Union

If you are a student member of a trade union, you enjoy the security offered by the union when you work whilst you are studying. Trade union membership is like a circus acrobat’s safety net or household insurance: should you have an accident it will have been your choice as to whether or not you have a safety net in place.

As a member you will be able to use the services and enjoy the benefits which the trade union offers and, in addition, you will receive current information on employment matters. The various trade unions have a comprehensive range of different member benefits, such as advisory and legal services; earnings related unemployment benefit; union magazine; training; insurance offers; scholarships; holiday premises and a variety of discounts and other benefits which are available to membership card holders. You will find more detailed information on membership benefits on the internet pages of each trade union.

Your education will provide you with the sound professional skills and knowledge which are needed in the world of work, however this will not define your future work nor the amount of your pay in any unambiguous terms. The collective agreements, which have been negotiated by the trade unions, on the terms and conditions of employment, stipulate pay on the basis of the type of work undertaken, not on the basis of qualifications. By joining a trade union which represents your own professional field, you can ensure that the interests of the employee – including yourself – can be successfully maintained.

Why I should become a member of a trade union – 10 good (and weighty) reasons:

1. The trade union will represent your interests – better pay, enough time secured for life outside work, and proper employment contracts.

2. The services and support provided by the shop steward at the workplace.

3. Legal protection, free legal aid. If problems arise, you can always turn to your trade union. You can get free services to help you even with legal proceedings - if you are a member.

4. Advice on employment contracts. Members are offered good tips and wise advice on the world of work.

5. Earnings related unemployment benefit on being laid off or made redundant. This will always be higher than the basic state unemployment benefit on its own. It would be risky to only join an unemployment fund, as in that case nobody would defend your interest or your workplace. As a rule there are always huge complications in any situation involving laying off or redundancy.

6. Training for members and shop stewards. Possibilities for updating your own skills, information on the world of work, courses on workplace wellbeing.

7. Meetings and events for members. Purchase discounts for members. Interesting leisure activities where you can enlarge your social network. Trade unions are offering, for example, discounts on petrol and on holiday cottages, and many other fantastic discounts which are worth having.

8. A membership magazine which contains current information on your own profession and on the activities of your union.

9. Good insurance offers.

10. Trade unions bear an influence on employment legislation and they negotiate agreements. Those trade unions which are affiliated to STTK represent your interests. An enormous amount of work is carried out on this level in order to ensure that legislation and various agreements will give the union member the best possible advantages and benefits in the world of work.

Join as a student member!

The trade unions which support the Union for Students offer an advantageous student membership to those who are studying full-time although they are not in regular employment. If you join the union unemployment fund at the same time, you will be able to accumulate earnings-related unemployment benefit points with your earnings from any employment you take up whilst you are a student. A student member is entitled to the same membership benefits as a regular member and therefore you can only gain by becoming a member !

You can base your choice of trade union on the type of work you do, for example during the summer break, or on the basis of the profession in which you are interested after your graduation.

The Trade Union Suora – for employees in banking, finance, insurance, social security, gaming and trading of alcoholic beverages.

The Federation of Special Service and Clerical Employees, ERTO – for clerical employees in logistics, advertising, market research, new media, health care and social services, information technology, accountancy and various niche occupations.

The Union of Salaried Employees, TU – for specialists in the economic, technical and information sectors in industry and in industrial support services.

The Federation of Salaried Employees Pardia – does not currently accept student members although student membership will be available in the near future.

If you need help in finding the appropriate union, please contact the Union for Students.

As a student member of a trade union you will automatically become also a member of STTK Students. STTK Students represents nationally the interests of the student members of STTK from an employment perspective. STTK Students is involved in lobbying and in stating its view, for example on educational and social policies, and it organises various events and training for those student members of the STTK affiliated trade unions. You can learn more about these activities on the STTK Students homepage.