Fearing for jobs, subcontractors’ employees appeal to Nokia

Nearly 100 employees of Nokia subcontractors Perlos and Foxconn, and members of the Union of Salaried Employees, took part in a demonstration in front of the Helsinki Fair Centre, which was the venue of the Nokia Annual General Meeting on Thursday. The protesters expressed concern at recent job cuts at Finnish installations of both companies.
      The demonstrators objected to the increased outsourcing of electronics jobs to China and India.
      Foxconn, which was previously known as Eimo, announced about two weeks ago that it would shut down almost all of its production in Finland. Perlos said in February that it would cut back on about 600 employees. The greatest impact is to be on Joensuu.
      "Our message to Nokia is that they should not put such a tight squeeze on subcontractors in Finland. Industry is needed, and production should also be possible here", said Harri Lavikainen, who has worked for Perlos in Joensuu for seven years, making plastic components for mobile phones.
      Lavikainen does not yet know if he will be one of the lucky ones who will keep his job. If he is not, he does not believe that he will find work in North Karelia.
      "I would be ready to move out of Finland altogether", he noted.
     
The demonstrators’ voice was heard inside the meeting as well. Antti Rinne, president of the Union of Salaried Employees, which owns Nokia shares, expressed his view on the position of shareholders to the company’s management.
      "There is a concern in the companies that with its decisions, Nokia will create a situation in which production is moving completely outside the borders of Finland.
      According to Rinne, trade unions in all of Europe are concerned about how Nokia deals with human rights issues in China, for instance.
      The concern of the subcontractors was shared by many of Nokia’s small shareholders, but profitability took priority at the end of the day.
      "Of course it is bad from the point of view of jobs", said Laina Halme, who travelled from Pohjois-Iitti to the AGM with her husband. "On the other hand, production needs to take place where it is cheapest."
      She added: "These are unpleasant matters, that one would prefer not to think about; one would rather take as high dividends as possible", said Nokia shareholder Laina Halme.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Foxconn to shut down almost completely production it bought from Eimo in Finland (8.3.2006)
  More, faster, cheaper (19.2.2006)
  Finnish personnel management, Taiwanese style (16.6.2005)
  Taiwanese-owned Foxconn to close Hollola factory (23.8.2005)
  Mobile phone components manufacturer Foxconn eliminating 200-300 jobs (14.6.2005)
  Perlos expanding in China (17.5.2005)