Death of Niilo Hämäläinen, former President of SAK

Niilo Hämäläinen passed away on Sunday, the 21st of October, in Helsinki after a serious illness. He was 79 years of age.

Niilo Hämäläinen was the President of SAK from 1966 until 1974. He became known as a strong central figure in the unification of SAK and is remembered as the builder of the incomes policy system which continues to operate in Finland.

Niilo Hämäläinen was elected as the President of SAK in 1966, and the uniting of the various SAK affiliated unions in the trade union movement was the most important task which faced him. He was successful in this, and the dissension that had hitherto existed within the trade union movement, and within SAK, finally ceased in 1969. He was also involved in the development of the Finnish national incomes policy system and was an influential negotiating partner with Mr Päiviö Hetemäki, the Managing Director of the Central Organisation of Finnish Employers.

As a trade union leader, Niilo Hämäläinen brought international issues to the fore. During this time SAK enjoyed good relationships both to the east and the west and he rebuilt the goodwill between SAK and the Nordic countries following the long period of dissension.