SATURDAY UPDATE: Paper strike to begin Sunday

Swedish union threatens more sympathy action

print this

The Finnish Paperworkers' Union will begin a two-day strike in all of Finland's paper factories on Monday morning. For technical reasons, the shutdown of paper machines will begin already Sunday evening.
      National Conciliator Juhani Salonius felt that there necessary prerequisites did not exist for him to issue a mediation proposal. Negotiations on the matter continue on Tuesday morning.
     
The key issue in the dispute revolves around calls by the employers' side to increase the use of subcontractors at paper factories, and to cancel production shutdowns during Christmas and Midsummer.
      The paper industry has said that it would impose a two-week lockout on Wednesday.
      Lauri Ihalainen, Chairman of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) fears that the labour dispute could be a long one.
     
     
FRIDAY: Paper industry mediation proposal could come on Saturday
     
      Progress has been reported in difficult talks aimed at averting a strike in the pulp and paper industry. The discussions, which have been underway under the leadership of National Conciliator Juhani Salonius, have moved forward, and the two sides hope to reach a settlement during the weekend. Salonius is expected to submit a mediation proposal by Saturday.
      If no settlement is reached by Sunday, the Finnish Paperworkers’ Union has threatened to begin a two-day strike on Monday. For technical reasons, the shutdown of machinery at pulp mills would have begin already on Sunday evening.
      If the strike begins, the paper industry has threatened to impose a two-week lockout as of Wednesday. If this happens, the shutdown process would have to begin already on Saturday night.
      However, Salonius believes that a decision on the matter will come before Sunday.
      "I think that the moments of decision will come sooner. All of the keys for a settlement exist."
     
However, there is a way to go before a settlement is reached. Nevertheless, Salonius did not ask for a two-week postponement of industrial action to give the negotiators more time, noting that the issues have been examined thoroughly, and that a solution is needed now.
      Still under negotiation are the most difficult issues: the use of outside labour, and management demands to scrap the Christmas and Midsummer shutdowns.
      One of the most contentious issues was the industry demand that the first two days of a sick leave would be unpaid. Apparently those proposals have been withdrawn, at least in their original form.
      The talks continue today, Friday, and they are being joined by Lauri Ihalainen, head of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) and Seppo Riski, labour market affairs leader of the Confederation of Finnish Industry (EK). Both were involved in the discussions that resolved the harbour cargo handlers’ dispute in April.
     
The Swedish Paper Workers Union Pappers stepped up its efforts to back up the Finnish union.
      On Thursday the Swedes decided on an expanded overtime ban. An earlier decision calls for a ban on overtime work at a number of Swedish mills run by Stora Enso. The previous decision takes effect on Monday next week and ends on Wednesday.
      The expanded ban would affect 6,300 workers at ten Swedish factories of Stora Enso, three Metsä Tissue factories, one M-real plant, and one Ahlström mill. It would last from May 25th to June 1st.
      Pappers’ contract secretary Lennart Olovsson says that his union’s members fully support the struggle of the Finnish paper workers, and that the Swedes are willing to go "any distance" to help the Finns.
     
The Finnish Paperworkers’ Union has not yet asked for help from other Finnish union. However, there have been offers for support from at least two SAK-affiliated unions.
      At a meeting scheduled for Monday, the SAK Executive Committee will consider the state of the paper negotiations, if necessary.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Paper industry says union inflexibility could lead to mill closures (9.5.2005)
  Forest industry threatens two-week lockout at pulp and paper mills (3.5.2005)
  Finnish paper workers issue strike warning - support promised from abroad (29.4.2005)
  Industrial action stops all paper and pulp mills until Friday morning (28.4.2005)

Helsingin Sanomat