Mediation efforts continue this morning to avert further foodstuffs industry strike

If no agreement is reached, workers come out again on Wednesday

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Talks to resolve the entrenched dispute in the foodstuffs industry are to continue today at the Office of the National Conciliator.
      If the two sides cannot be persuaded to reach an accord, the next interruption in output within the Finnish food industry will begin from Wednesday, and will presumably once again see the fresh and processed goods shelves thinning out in supermarkets.
      Mediation in the conflict, which has seen two strikes and a brief lockout by employers already, was ended late on Sunday night with a decision to try again from today at 10:00.
     
The objective of National Conciliator Esa Lonka was to deliver a mediation proposal on Sunday, but there was no scope for such a move at the time as both sides remained deadlocked in their respective positions.
      If it transpires from Wednesday, the next strike by members of the Finnish Food Workers' Union (SEL) would last for six days.
     
A total of nearly 12,000 employees at 83 production units would be affected.
      One week hence, from Tuesday May 11th, things would escalate such that a further stoppage would affect the entire branch, and this would continue until a new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out between SEL and the Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation (ETL).
      Any strike on this scale is bound to affect supplies to stores, and probably in a considerably more acute manner than the earlier strikes or the employers' lockout, which was shortened to just one day.
      The council of SEL and the board of the Food and Drink Industries Federation have prepared themselves to consider a possible mediation proposal on Monday afternoon.
     
The disputes concern primarily working-hour arrangements and compensation for weekend working.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Food workers´ lockout to end abruptly on Tuesday evening - employees considering return to work (27.4.2010)
  Three-day strike in food production begins (21.4.2010)
  Food workers start three-day strike at selected bakeries and meat processing plants (7.4.2010)
  Rollercoaster continues: supermarket supplies restored before another strike threatens to close food processing plants again (28.4.2010)
  Lockout looming over food production UPDATED 13.30
  One food strike is averted; a bigger one is still pending, as is lockout from employers´ side (12.4.2010)

Links:
  SEL, Finnish Food Workers´Union
  Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation (ETL)
  Office of the National Conciliator

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