Government to sanction law to secure borders during IAAF World Championships

European Commission requests explanation for continuing border guard strike

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At Wednesday's supplementary session, the Finnish government accepted a bill that would ensure the securing of the country's ports of entry during the IAAF World Championships in August, should the Guards' Union strike continue that far.
      According to the bill, border officials outside the scope of the industrial action would be ordered to perform passport examinations at ports of entry in July-August. In practice, foremen belonging to the Finnish Officers' Association and the Coastguard Union would take care of the border formalities.
      "The World Championships are on the doorstep, and we have to be able to ensure that the participating athletes and the spectators alike can safely arrive in Finland", Second Minister for Finance Ulla-Maj Wideroos (Swedish People's Party) commented in justifying the government's unanimous decision.
     
The emergency law would be in effect from July 10th through to August 14th, while the actual games start on August 6th.
      According to information received by Helsingin Sanomat, the prompt government bill was given added momentum by a request for explanation by the European Commission in Brussels. The request communicated through the European Commission's Representation in Finland related to how comprehensively the border guarding duties can be implemented during the strike.
      Normally the Finnish government rarely interferes with industrial actions. Now, on top of everything else, the state power is in effect revoking the trump card of the striking border guards, security during the IAAF World Championships.
     
Both the Border Guards' Union and their umbrella organisation the Finnish Confederation of Salaried Employees (STTK) disapprove of the government's interference.
      "Such interference violates the labour market rules, even if the government does not question the border guards' right to be on strike", charges Mikko Mäenpää, President of STTK.
      Mäenpää points out that in this matter the government, in fact, is the employer. Even though the actual negotiations are held with the Frontier Guard, their negotiation strategies are coordinated by the State Employer's Office, which in turn acts under the Ministry of Finance.
      According to critics, the bill contradicts the Labour Court's ruling from last week. The Court prohibited foremen from performing passport examinations saying such duties could not be classified as emergency work that needed to be carried out by outside staff in order to secure the citizens' lives and health.
     
After an introduction to the President, the government bill was next presented to Parliament.
      In a supplementary evening session the entire opposition save the National Coalition went ballistic over the proposal. The Left Alliance ridiculed the bill as a forced law, a strike-breaking law, Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen's work reform, and an attempt to use the World Championships as an excuse to scrap the entire concept of a contract society.
      "We are about to open the floodgates to employers' arbitrary rule", declared MP Martti Korhonen (Left Alliance), while his fellow party members already hinted at the possibility of an interpellation vote on the issue.
      The government party SDP's ranks were also divided as many of the Social Democrat MPs voiced their anger against the surprise bill.
      The National Coalition embraced the bill, but demanded more assertive efforts from the government to deal with the paper industry dispute. This, in turn, enraged the Left Alliance even more, who then demanded a law that would make the Finnish Forest Industries Federation's lockout illegal.
      "Who is the minister who will next declare manufacturing toilet paper as emergency work?" Korhonen asked.
      Parliament will deal with the proposed law in short order. From the plenary session the bill went to a select committee processing, where its content can be agreed upon by Friday. Hence the law could be passed already by next Tuesday.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Border guards return dogs to Frontier Guard (15.6.2005)
  First phase of border guard strike ends with silent demonstration (13.6.2005)
  War of words heats up between Frontier Guard and Border Guards' Union (10.6.2005)
  Finland's Minister of the Interior appeals to Frontier Guard strikers (9.6.2005)

Links:
  Helsinki 2005: IAAF World Championships

Helsingin Sanomat