A strike that threatened bus transport in the Helsinki region on Tuesday was cancelled on Monday afternoon when agreement was reached on the terms of employment of drivers working for Palveluauto Oy, a company owned by the City of Helsinki. The company specialises in the transport of the disabled, senior citizens, and schoolchildren in buses and invalid taxis. The settlement also ends a strike by the company’s drivers.
The focus of negotiations at the office of the national labour mediator was on whether or not the company’s drivers should be considered bus drivers or taxi drivers. The 45 drivers working for the company went on strike on June 3rd to back demands that they be included in the labour contract for bus drivers, and the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union (AKT) had threatened wider industrial action in the Helsinki region on Tuesday if no settlement was reached before that.
The settlement reached on Monday both cancels the threatened wider strike, and brings the Palveluauto drivers back to work.
"A small issue reached disproportionate dimensions", commented Hannu Parvela, head of the employers’ organisation.
"We certainly would not have wanted to go on strike. It is good that this is what happened", commented AKT chairman Timo Räty.
