The industrial union Teollisuusliitto in Finland has announced a new two-day strike to protest the government’s actions, starting on February 1.
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The labor association opposes the government program of the 77th Cabinet of Petteri Orpo, which provides for labor market reform.
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“The union is stopping work in the Kokkola and Kilpilahti industrial zones on February 1 and 2, 2024,” union chairman Riku Aalto said at a press conference on Thursday.
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The broadcast was carried out on the website of the public broadcaster Yle.
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Neste, one of the world’s leading producers of so-called renewable fuels, has announced its readiness to participate in the industrialists’ strike.
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“The government’s policies are a serious blow to workers’ benefits, rights and working conditions. Therefore, employees have no choice but to pay in kind,” Neste spokesman Sami Ryynänen said.
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Earlier, a large-scale strike took place in Finland, organized by the Central Association of Trade Unions (SAK), in which about 100 thousand workers and a thousand different companies and enterprises took part. According to the publication IltaLehti, during the one-day strike, traffic in major cities was almost completely stopped. Logistics companies, food and technical industry enterprises, water supply companies, as well as energy companies almost completely stopped their work on this day. The work of ports, travel agencies, and companies providing services in the fields of public catering, sports and culture was disrupted. Labor Minister Arto Satonen estimated the country’s losses at 100-130 million euros on the day of the strike.
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The program of the 77th Finnish government, published in June, which should be implemented until 2027, identifies points for labor market reform, including pension reform, sick leave payments, unemployment, insurance premiums, simplification of dismissals, a ban on strikes and a number of others.
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Trade unions oppose these changes and have been holding protests since September 26.
