Unions urge itinerant workers to stop unauthorised protest strike

Some contract workers already back to work

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The Metalworkers’ Union and the Finnish Electrical Workers’ Union have called on striking contract workers to return to stop their action.
      Metalworkers’ Union President Erkki Vuorenmaa says that the action has succeeded in drawing attention to the issue at hand, and that now would be a good time to get back to work.
      About 2,000 itinerant contract workers walked off their jobs on Tuesday to protest new tax legislation, and instructions on its implementation. There is fear that the new legislation could force contract workers to pay more tax on their per diems than is now the case.
      The metal and electrical unions disapprove of industrial action that takes place while a labour contract is in force. However, Antti Rinne, chairman of the Union of Salaried Employees, sees the action as justified.
      Most of the strikers are members of the Metalworkers’ Union. They were joined by hundreds of members of the Electrical Workers’ Union. Most of those in supervisory positions are in the Union of Salaried Employees.
     
Some of the striking contract workers went back to work already on Wednesday. More than 900 workers were still off the job at the Porvoo refinery yesterday, but workers at the Turku and Rauma shipyards started coming back. More were expected today, Thursday.
      Matti Putkonen, head of communications at the Metalworkers’ Union, says that contract workers have been deliberately misled on the per diem issue.
      "In an uncertain situation it is naturally possible for someone to take advantage of the lack of knowledge of one person in order to advance his or her own views and campaigns", says Erkki Vuorenmaa. However, he does not want to blame ordinary contract workers, and emphasises that suspicions concerning the interpretations of the new tax rules are genuine.
     
In spite of the objections, Vuorenmaa sees the new law as an improvement, in that it extends the period in which per diems are not taxed from one year to two.
      "It is certain that if the law had not been changed, the tax-free status would have ended already after one year. I trust that the law will be interpreted correctly. If this is not done, the union will do all it can so that the interpretation will go in the right direction", Vuorenmaa promises.
      Representatives of the contract workers are scheduled to discuss the issue with MP Matti Ahde (SDP), the Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee on Thursday.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Up to 2,000 contract labourers walk out over prospect of back taxes (29.3.2006)

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