The Chemical Union (, Kemia) was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing workers in light industries in Finland. The union was established in 1993, when the Chemical Workers' Union merged with the

Rubber and Leather Workers' Union The Rubber and Leather Workers' Union (, KJNL) was a trade union representing workers in the leather and rubber industries, including shoemakers, in Finland. The union was founded in 1930 as the Leather, Footwear and Rubber Workers' Union, replac ...

. The following year, the Finnish Glass and Porcelain Workers' Union also joined the new union, which, by 1998, had 34,944 members. In 2004, the Textile and Clothing Workers' Union merged into the Chemical Union, raising its membership to about 50,000 workers. The union was keen to undertake further mergers, and began negotiations with six manufacturing unions, but the Metalworkers' Union withdrew, leading the talks to collapse. Only the Finnish Media Union remained interested in a merger, and in 2009, the Chemical Union merged with it, to form the Industrial Union TEAM.{{cite web , title=TEAM is the new number two industrial union in Finland , url=https://www.sak.fi/en/whats-new/news/team-new-number-two-industrial-union-finland , website=SAK , accessdate=5 March 2020

Presidents

:1993: Heikki Pohja :1994: Hilkka Häkkilä :1996: Timo Vallunta

References

Manufacturing trade unions Trade unions in Finland Trade unions established in 1993 Trade unions disestablished in 2009