Labor market Metsäyhtiö Keitele Group’s working conditions arose a complicated trade union dispute, employee union threatened with a fine of one million euros

Forestry company A complex labor market dispute has developed into the working conditions that Keitele Group has complied with from now on.

Last Thursday, the Automobile and Transport Workers’ Union (AKT) commented on the turning point in the dispute, demanding that Keitele’s security measure be lifted immediately because its grounds are incorrect.

Through an interim precautionary measure, the Helsinki District Court has ordered the ACP to end the embargo on Keitele Group’s transports in ports under threat of a fine.

“Soup the industrial action against them is legal, justified and justified. If the company wants to resolve this situation, it must return to the negotiating table, ”says the ACP president Ismo Kokko in the bulletin.

According to Koko, the employees, represented by the Confederation of Finnish Industry, have the right to seek a negotiated solution and a collective agreement.

“Keitele Group now has the initiative,” says Kokko.

The controversy is based on the embargo announced by the Confederation of Finnish Industry on 10 December and a ban on overtime at the Keitele mills to speed up negotiations.

Industry Association The reason for the blockade was Keitele Group’s reluctance to initiate company-specific collective bargaining.

The ACP supports the blockade of the Confederation of Finnish Industry so that ACP members refrain from handling Keitele Group’s products in Finnish ports.

The Helsinki District Court, for its part, provisionally ordered the ACP to suspend these aid measures under threat of a fine of EUR 1 million.

Among other things, the Keitele Group, which is engaged in wood procurement, sawmilling and the manufacture of wood products, operates in Keitele in Eastern Finland, Alajärvi in ​​Southern Ostrobothnia and Kemijärvi in ​​Lapland. It directly employs more than 500 people and indirectly 1,500.

Keitele The Group has marveled at the industrial action related to the universally binding collective agreement, which expires at the end of the year.

Keitele is not a member of the employers’ association. Chairman of the Board Ilkka Kylävainio has stated that the company has prepared its own terms and conditions of employment for Keitele companies, which are better than the current collective agreement.

“Due to the low level of organization of the employees, the Confederation of Finnish Industry cannot truly represent the entire Keitele Group personnel towards the company. Local agreement must be promoted through dialogue between the company and the personnel, ”Kylävainio said in a press release when the blockade began.