On a statement on its website, the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union (AKT) explains that the strikes concern the truck industry, port terminal operators, as well as staff in the tanker and oil products industry. The strikes apply to all locations and subcontractors of the companies on this list.
The union says it will compensate its members with a strike allowance of 67 euros per day for 5 days a week.
According to Finnish news outlet Ilta Sanomat, the strike follows AKT’s rejection of a last-minute deal offered during negotiations with a national mediator.
AKT chairman Ismo Koko is said to have branded the offer as being insufficient with regards to both conditions and salary. However, industry critics of the strike say AKT’s expectations are unreasonable as their pay rise demands noticeably outstrip those seen in other market sectors.
The strikes affect a total of around 9,000 employees and are expected to have a wide impact on Finland’s foreign trade and many types of transport, writes Ilta Sanomat.
Ports impacted by the strike won’t be able to handle cargo as normal, and according to Finland’s Port Operators Association, there are fears that factories will have to halt production due to a lack of supplies.
Ilkka Oksala of the Confederation of Finnish Industries also issued the following warning:
“A few days are still manageable. From then on, the problems will start to show and there will be big repercussions.”
Moreover, the Finnish Post estimates that due to the strike, the delivery of packages, letters, magazines and shipments arriving and departing from abroad will be delayed anything from several days to more than a week.
Efforts will be made in the coming days to find a resolution to the dispute.
Photo: Helsinki City Museum, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (image cropped)
