About 60,000 industrial workers are affected by the strikes announced by the Finnish Confederation of Industry. The Pro union also announced extensive strikes for the first two days of February.
Strikes widely affect the daily life of Finns 1.–2. February. A large part of the industry as well as shops and other services go on strike in order to oppose the government's actions. Teollisuusliitto and the trade union Pro announced on Thursday extensive political strikes targeting several industrial sectors.
We collect the latest information in this updated news.
Strikes affect industry and trade, among other things
The strikes announced by the Finnish Industry Association on Thursday are aimed at several industrial sectors 700 locations in a different part of Finland. About 60,000 industrial workers are affected by the strikes.
Chairman of the Industrial Association Riku Aalton according to the strikes, if they happen, they stop a large part of Finnish industry. According to the union, the strikes do not apply to emergency work or work that is necessary to protect life and health.
On Thursday, the Pro union also announced extensive strikes in industry from 1st to 2nd. February. The work stoppages concern approximately 10,000 Pro members across Finland. They are white-collar workers in industry.
Shops, hotels and restaurants are also on strike on February 1. Told about it Service sector trade union Pam on Wednesday.
According to Pami, the strike applies to, among other things, all S group stores and transport stations, K stores and Lidl and Tokmanni stores.
In the tourism industry, the strike affects hotels and restaurants of the S group, Sokotel and Scandic.
Already earlier, the Finnish Confederation of Trade Unions specifically reported from the strike affecting the chemical industry, which will drive down the Kilpilahti and Kokkola industrial areas in Porvoo for two days. The strike concerns, among other things, Neste's Porvoon refinery and Naantali's terminal operations.
More strike announcements are expected
Air traffic is also threatened by a strike. The industry unions will organize a press conference on the matter on Friday.
The board of the teachers' union OAJ met on Wednesday evening in an extraordinary meeting to decide on their own actions. The organization will reportedly announce next week what actions it will take.
On February 1, SAK and STTK will also organize a demonstration against the government's actions in Helsinki.
Political strikes are used to oppose the actions of the government
Strikes are political, as their purpose is not to influence collective bargaining, but to oppose Petteri Orpon (kok) of the government extensive changes driven into working life.
The right-wing government's program includes several reforms that organizations representing the business world and entrepreneurs have been demanding for a long time. The Ay movement, on the other hand, fiercely opposes them.
In addition to the reforms themselves, the workers' unions oppose the way in which the government has pushed them. The unions demand that the government negotiate with them on all actions as a single entity. This would allow compromises. The government has not agreed to this.
The government aims, among other things, to make the first day of illness unpaid and to make it easier to dismiss
The government actions opposed by the employee unions include:
Expanding local bargaining. The government's goal is that workplace-specific, i.e. local, bargaining would be possible in all companies, regardless of whether the company belongs to an employers' association.
Restriction of the right to strike. The government wants to limit the maximum duration of political demonstrations to one day, ban support strikes that are considered disproportionate, and increase fines for illegal strikes.
An unpaid sick leave day. The unions call the government's intention to make the first day of sick leave unpaid, unless otherwise agreed in the collective agreement, as a “sickness penalty”.
Making termination easier. The government wants to make it easier to dismiss an employee on personal grounds. According to the plan, only a valid reason would be needed, while now according to the law, a valid and compelling reason is required.
Unemployment insurance cuts. The workers' unions also oppose the weakening of unemployment security, even though some of them have already been approved by the parliament.
The government has said that it is planning additional savings outside of the government program, which will be decided in the spring during the government's budget debate. Industrial Association chairman Aalto demands that Prime Minister Orpo and the Minister of Finance Riikka Purra (ps) will tell you in advance whether further cuts and downsizing will again affect employees.
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