The start of the downhill skiing season may be delayed at five Finnish ski resorts.
A threat of a strike organised by Service Union United PAM, a union for employees working in the private service sectors, concerns four companies operating the ski slopes at the holiday resorts of Ruka, Levi, Vuokatti, Tahko, and Pyhätunturi.
If the dispute over the salaries of the ski resort workers is not resolved, a strike will commence in the afternoon of Wednesday November 4th and last until the Friday morning of the same week.
The strike would primarily affect the operating of snow cannons and other slope services. The restaurants and hotels would continue to operate normally.
PAM bases its demands on the economic success that the field has enjoyed. A collective labour agreement concerning just under a thousand workers ended in September.
There is a traditional competition to see which resort gets started first.
Ruka has already opened up a few of its 29 slopes, but more are currently being groomed with snowmaking machines. The official season-opening weekend in Ruka is set for November 6th to 8th, and naturally a strike immediately before this would hamper preparations.
