The Finnish Paperworkers’ Union issued a request to unions in industrial and transport fields on Thursday to take measures to support the paper workers in their ongoing labour dispute.
The request follows a threat by the Finnish Forest Industries Federation to extend the ongoing lockout to the end of June. The union also spoke of an "attack by the employers against the trade union movement".
"We hope for cooperation with the Paperworkers’ Union in the preparation of support measures. Then we can direct the measures to where they will be the most effective", the Paperworkers’ Union writes to the other groups.
The paper workers are especially eager to see action that would completely shut down all work that is covered by the labour contract of the paper industry, including maintenance and investment work that requires the stoppage of production.
The union would also welcome stoppages of one to three days in construction and project work, as well as other stoppages and overtime bans.
The request was for the solidarity action to start at the beginning of June.
The Forest Industries Federation is to decide on Tuesday next week whether or not to extend its lockout to the end of June. Forest Industries Federation President Timo Poranen said on Thursday that the extension is very likely.
Paperworkers’ Union President Jouko Ahonen said that he was not surprised at the announcement. He told Helsingin Sanomat that the union would respond in the "traditional manner".
"We have imposed strikes on actions that the employer has left outside the lockout. The same formula will probably be repeated. Still, it feels so painful. It isn’t in anyone’s interests that we and management take turns announcing lockouts and strikes", he noted.
