History

The operation of Translators’ trade organisation (Kääntäjien ammattijärjestö) started on 10 November, 1979, when the Diplomikielenkääntäjät ry (DKK ry) and the Virka- ja työsopimussuhteiset kielenkääntäjät ry (VTSK ry) decided to merge and form a translators’ trade union to oversee the professional interests of translators and interpreters.

The operation of DKK and VTSK stopped and the Kääntäjien ammattijärjestö joined Akava Special Branches (then Akavan Erityisalojen Keskusliitto) at the turn of the year in 1979 - 1980.

In 2009, the organisation renewed its name into Translation Industry Professionals (Käännösalan asiantuntijat KAJ).

The translators’ trade union was founded to function as a global liaison for its members and to oversee pay-related and other professional and societal benefits for its members. The task was also to raise the level of translation skills and to increase the appreciation of the translation profession.

In 1983, KAJ had 338 members, but when the organisation turned 20 years old, it already had 1856 members. In the 1990s the member count grew fast. An all-time record of new members was in 1991, when the member count increased by 28%. In 1991-1992 the growth was 15% and equalised to 11% in 1994. In the new millennium, the member count has grown a few per cent per year. In the beginning of 2011, the member count was 2129.