Fees 2022:
Finnish Musicians’ Union
- 26 € per month
- 10 € per month for Students
Unemployment fund (A-kassa)
- 8 € per month
From percentage-based membership fee to flat fee
The percentage-based membership fee is considered to reflect solidarity, as the fee is meant to depend on how much a member earns from music-related work. High income should lead to a higher fee.
For salaried members, the fee has been collected and disbursed to the union by the employer, and for freelancers, the fee has been declared by members themselves. In a percentage-based system, monthly salary precisely determines an individual’s fee, while the income of self-reporting members can vary significantly from month to month. Therefore, the current fee model has not been able to reflect actual income properly. The work of members is becoming increasingly multidisciplinary, which also makes it difficult to determine the fee. The definition of income subject to membership dues is not always straightforward, either. It is not practical for a member to change fee category on a monthly basis according to a varying income. As a result, some members have been paying based on actual monthly income, and some based on pre-estimated income. The idea of solidarity is not being realized, as it is not possible to adjust payments on the basis of real income for everyone. Therefore, the current membership fee model is not considered fair anymore.
Flat membership fee system eliminates the challenge of fluctuating income levels and allows for fairer and more equal treatment of members, as union benefits and services are available on an equal basis.
There will be no changes in the fees for students and seniors. The membership fee exemption rules remain unchanged, as well.
Membership fees of the union and the unemployment fund in 2022
The membership fee from the beginning of 2022 is 26 euros per month. For some members, the fee will inevitably increase with the system change, while for others it will decrease.
The student membership fee remains at 10 euros per month.
From the beginning of 2022, there will also be changes in the unemployment fund’s membership fee, as the unemployment fund Finka merges in the new A-kassa fund. As a result, the membership fee of the fund will be reduced from this year’s 16,50 euros to 8 euros per month.
If you are a member of both the union and the unemployment fund, the total cost of membership is likely to decrease. If you have considered joining the unemployment fund, now’s a great time to do so.
The system change is not expected to affect the total membership fee income of the union.