työmiehet

Työmies (plural työmiehet) is a Finnish noun referring to a male manual laborer or worker. The word combines työtä (work) and mies (man) and has historically described members of the working class engaged in industrial, construction, or craft-based jobs. In modern Finnish, the gender-neutral term for a worker is työläinen.

Historically, työmiehet were central to Finland's labor movement. From the late 19th century onward, they formed a substantial portion of trade unions and political organizing, especially within social democratic currents that advocated for improved wages, working hours, and occupational safety. The term frequently appears in period literature and in historical descriptions of industrial cities.

Today, työmiehet is primarily encountered in historical, literary, or sociological contexts. In everyday language, speakers more often use neutral terms such as työläinen or työntekijä to refer to workers regardless of gender, while työmies may emphasize masculine class identity or historical contexts.

Related concepts include the broader working class (työväenluokka) and the gender-neutral term työläinen, which is commonly used in contemporary Finnish to describe workers without gender connotations.