Talks to resolve latest food workers strike to continue today

Valio and Arla Ingman cut separate deals with SEL

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Talks to resolve the foodstuffs industry workers strike that started last night were resumed already today before midday.
      The Finnish Food Workers' Union (SEL) is also working to come up with a solution to the veterinary and animal welfare problem of slaughtering pigs. The aim is to get the slaughterhouses back on line as soon as possible.
      In the course of Wednesday the situation will be re-examined in the Office of the National Conciliator. At the same time it will be discussed if there is a possibility for further negotiations based on the mediation proposal that was rejected on Tuesday.
     
Last night a strike by food workers once again put a stop to the operation of a large number of Finland’s food processing plants.
      The start of the six-day industrial action was confirmed when SEL turned down the latest mediation effort by the National Conciliator Esa Lonka on Tuesday.
      The labour dispute will shut down more than 80 large food factories, including bakeries, meat-processing plants, dairies, and drinks bottling plants.
      In addition to thinning down the offerings in the grocery stores around the country, the strike will also complicate the food supply to hospitals, schools, and other similar institutions.
     
On Tuesday afternoon National Conciliator Esa Lonka issued what was already his third mediation proposal with regard to the dispute.
      In the evening’s SEL council vote the proposal was rejected 25 to 5.
      The start of the strike was confirmed only after 8 o’clock last night.
      The negotiations continued late into the evening while the parties tried to come up with a solution with regard to limiting the strike to ease pressure on the country’s now jam-packed pig farms.
      According to the Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation (ETL) CEO Heikki Juutinen, the crisis in question is extremely serious.
      On farms across the country, more than 100,000 pigs are waiting to be slaughtered, and space is running out, with a consequent animal welfare problem growing by the day.
      According to ETL, which represents the employers, companies try to continue their activities through special arrangements, so that at least the most popular items could still be produced.
      ETL also says that it is preparing to enter into separate field-specific bargaining contracts.
      If the dispute is not settled by Monday of next week, the strike threatens to escalate to cover the entire foodstuffs industry.
     
The mediation effort was dismissed for the third time by SEL. This is very exceptional. The employers' side would have agreed to at least the first two proposals.
      SEL central council chairman Pauli Paavola considers the situation extremely difficult.
      Paavola commented on the situation on Tuesday afternoon before the rejection of the third mediation proposal.
      “In principle it’s the SEL chairman’s job to comment on these things, but as my own opinion I can say without any drama of propaganda that the situation is genuinely difficult. These are such fundamental questions of principle, for us and for the employers as well, I’m sure.”
      In Paavola’s view, the big questions of principle relate to the 8-hour working day and Saturday shifts in the meat processing field and bakeries.
     
The dairy cooperative Valio, the most significant milk processor in Finland, says it has entered into a detailed labour agreement with SEL, and a similar deal has been struck by Valio's dairy rivals Arla Ingman.
      According to Valio the agreement means that work at the company’s dairies across the country will continue as normal.
     


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Rollercoaster continues: supermarket supplies restored before another strike threatens to close food processing plants again (28.4.2010)
  Mediation efforts continue this morning to avert further foodstuffs industry strike (3.5.2010)

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