No quick end in sight to paper dispute - talks still deadlocked

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The labour dispute in the pulp and paper industry is expected to continue for some time. Negotiators of the Finnish Paperworkers’ Union and the Forest Industries Federation met at the offices of National Conciliator Juhani Salonius on Wednesday, but no progress was made in the talks.
      Mediation continues on Monday, and the lockout at Finnish paper factories is to continue at least until then.
      The talks were reportedly just as deadlocked on Wednesday as they had been before. Even Salonius said that agreement was not very near.
      "There has been progress, but we are not yet at a stage at which any very great changes would have occurred", he said, describing the situation.
     
Salonius said that the aim is to find a single overall solution to all of the central issues. There are no plans to postpone negotiations until the autumn.
      A similar view was taken by Paperworkers’ Union President Jouko Ahonen. He came out against Tuesday’s call by Minister of Finance Antti Kalliomäki (SDP), who had echoed views of Lauri Ihalainen, President of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK); Ihalainen had previously called for a return to work, and a resumption of talks in the autumn, when tempers had cooled.
      Kalliomäki also proposed a tripartite approach to the dispute, involving the industry, employees, and the government. Ahonen said that the government is not needed in the present talks.
      Salonius also said that it is not possible to reach a solution without an agreement on the Christmas and Midsummer shutdowns.
      The union wants a "significant cut in working time" in exchange for keeping the factories running during the holidays. However, it has not specified its exact demands at the negotiating table.
      The industry has already withdrawn its call under which the first two days of sick leave would be unpaid. The goal now is to reach a three-year contract in the industry.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Poll: Majority of Finns oppose paper industry lockout (25.5.2005)
  Union leader Ahonen proposes partial settlement for paper dispute (24.5.2005)
  Paperworkers Union denounces industry lockout as irresponsible (20.5.2005)

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