Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen (Centre Party) hopes that the government and the labour market organisations will reach an understanding in the dispute caused by the government’s decision to raise the minimum retirement age.
Vanhanen is to resume his negotiations with the leaders of Finnish labour union organisations on Wednesday.
Speaking to YLE Radio on Sunday, the Prime Minister said that he had outlined already during their previous meeting a model that could serve as a basis for a solution to the dispute.
According to Vanhanen, it is pointless to threaten with a general strike, any more than it is for the government to pursue its plan unchanged as long as the negotiations are incomplete.
While some PMs in opposition hinted at a general strike as a way to support the Parliamentary interpellation put forward over the government’s retirement plans, Vanhanen pointed out that no such threats had been made by the directors of the labour union organsations.
