More strikes are on the way, writes HS politics editor Robert Sundman.
February in the beginning, many Finns experience the effects of political strikes in their everyday life.
Trade Union of Service Industries Pam said on Wednesday among other things, about the strike on February 1st at all S-group stores and transport stations, K-stores and Lidl and Tokmanni stores.
Thursday Teollisuusliitto and Ammatiliitto Pro said they would stop it a large part of Finnish industry with a two-day strike at the beginning of February. The effects on the industry will last longer, as the shutdown and restart of production take time.
On Friday, we will hear about industrial action in air traffic. In addition, for example, Paperliito, the teachers' union and the automotive and transport industry AKT expected to tell in the coming days.
There is still more to come.
Notices of industrial action cannot be characterized as surprising. HS already told in Novemberthat the SAK unions are preparing a large strike for February.
The trade union movement opposes strikes Petteri Orpon (kok) government policy.
Cuts to social security and planned changes to legislation concerning working life are rubbing off on unions. The government's proposal, which will lead to political strikes lasting more than a day and extensive support worker battles, will be considered by the parliament in the spring. At the end of January, the working group considering the reform of local agreements will complete its work. The unions want to draw attention to these decisions at h-moment.
Neither the cuts nor the legal projects were canceled by the point-like walkouts in the fall or the day-long strike in December. The government's message is that they will not be canceled by the February strikes either.
For now the strike has been led by SAK, although a few STTK and Akava unions have also been involved in the industrial action.
Unions have different memberships and different emphases. In SAK, it is known that member unions of other central organizations are also expected to join the rebellion more strongly. It may be that this happens as well.
The minister of labor is now raising the spirit of rebellion in the unions of the highly educated Arto Satonen (kok) decision to start preparation of a law amendment, which, if implemented, would limit the national conciliator and conciliation boards from offering salary increases higher than export industries in their settlement proposals.
This particularly irritates female-dominated public sector sectors, such as nurses and teachers.
Akava's board will meet on Friday, and information on the actions is expected next week.
Political ones strikes are not extremely rare in Finland, but you don't see them all the time. Most of the working days lost to strikes in recent years has resulted from strikes related to collective bargaining disputes.
Juha Sipilä During the (central) government period, political strikes were seen in 2015 and 2018. At that time, the unions opposed the so-called compulsory laws, the active model of unemployment insurance and the planned weakening of the dismissal protection.
of HS in the December poll for political strikes found more support than opposition. At the same time, the strike weapon is something for the unions that must be used judiciously. Sympathies can also disappear when the effects become more concrete and everyday life becomes more difficult.
The government, on the other hand, seeks support for the fact that, in particular, the main government parties are still struggling in party support surveys.
So far, there is no way out of the stalemate in sight. The joints prepare to tighten the strike screw even more. The government is aware of this, but it is not planning to respond.
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