Sales personnel at the Finnish alcohol retail monopoly Alko began a three-day strike this morning. District Conciliator Esa Lonka noted on Wednesday slightly before midnight that the two sides were too far apart in their views for a settlement proposal to be worthwhile.
The strike is expected to last for the rest of the week.
The threat of a strike was anticipated by some customers on Wednesday, and Alko shops were slightly busier than usual.
Alko hopes to keep some of its shops open with the help of management personnel and non-union sales staff. Alko says that more than 40 of the nearly 340 Alko retail outlets nationwide will open on Thursday - somewhat later than before.
More than half of Alko's retail business is from sales that take place on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bones of contention between AKL, the trade union representing Alko retail staff on the one side, and Alko and the Federation of Finnish Commerce on the other include issues of working hours and pay.
Part time employees comprise 85 per cent of Alko sales staff. The union side wants to give more of these employees a monthly salary.
Alko sales personnel also want the same pay increases that have been granted to other retail workers - more than 10 per cent in two and a half years. Management is offering about two percentage points less.
Some of the conflicts stem from the present labour contract, in which more flexibility was introduced into working hours.
The previous strike by Alko staff was in 2005, but it had barely begun before the two sides reached a settlement.
