The Trade Union Solidarity Centre of Finland SASK was founded by the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions and it´s affiliated unions in the end of the year 1986. Since then, SASK has become a widely representative solidarity body of the Finnish trade union movement with two central organisations and 30 national federation as affiliated members.

As a part of the Finnish and international trade union movement the function of SASK is to strengthen trade unions in every corner of the world.

Using trade union solidarity as a platform we want to promote social and economic equality in the developing countries, in the Baltic region and in the new democracies close to Finland by supporting the organizations which are not as strong as we are. We believe that a strong and democratic trade union movement is a cornerstone of a functional civil society.

The aim of our assistance is to promote independent and strong trade unions that are governed and financed by their members. Our projects improve the functional ability of our partners . Most of these projects are concerned with supporting the training and education of trade unionists. We also implement occupational health and safety and social projects.

The projects are jointly planned and implemented by workers of the local organization itself. An organization selected for assistance must therefore be week enough to be in need of assistance and, at the same time, strong enough to use it.

Our projects form part of a worldwide effort to safeguard the interests of trade unionists and specially to fight against oppressively low wages, the abuse of child labour and dangerous working conditions.

SASK activities are funded by member unions and, by the government of Finland and by the European Commission. A branch and an individual member of trade union can support our projects by regularly paying a percentage or by being a support member.

In Finland SASK lobbies the government and other political decision makers and influences the trade union movement and NGO's by disseminating information on the situation in the developing countries, in the Baltic region and in the new democracies close to Finland. We publicize the implementation of our projects. We also have a small library and videos, slide collections and magazines available to the members.