Train service to paralyse on Feb 2 as RAU also joins strike

The Railway Union Associationtrade (Rautatiealan Unioni Ry-RAU) on Friday decided to observe strike on February 2 expressing solidarity with the countrywide 48-hour strike called by different trade unions from February 1 protesting against the labour market reforms and cuts in working condition undertaken by the four-party alliance government.

The association at a meeting decided that the locomotive drivers, traffic controllers and customer service employees will be abstained from the work on February 2 resulting cancellation of all long-distance and commuter trains on the day.

Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors- JHL, The service sector union -PAM, the Finnish Aviation Union- IAU, the Finnish Transport Workers' Union- AKT and the Finnish Airline Pilots' Association- SLL are observing the strike demanding stop of the government´s initiatives.

National railway operator VR on Friday said that authority decided to cancel all long-distance day trains as well as commuter trains on Friday 2 Feb from 12 midnight to 11:59 p.m. due to the political strike.

The strike, however, will not affect night trains, which will run normally, said VR in a press release.

Passengers can change their long-distance one-way ticket to another date without paying a change fee of €5 from January 26 to February 2 at 9:00 am.

VR will automatically refund the price of long-distance and local single tickets purchased during the strike to its passengers within about a week. VR will also refund seat reservations for serial tickets to passengers and extend the validity of season tickets and serial tickets for long-distance and short-distance services by the day of the strike. These will not require any action on the part of ticket holders.

If train tickets have been purchased on paper without registration, for example at a ticket machine or R-kiosk, it will not be possible to make an automatic refund. In these cases, passengers can apply for a refund through the compensation form.

Flights operations also will remain suspended across the country on February 1 and 2 due to the strike.

Members of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors- JHL working for Finavia or Airpro will observe the strike from 12.01 am on February 1 to 11.59 pm on February 2 resulting suspension of the flights operation.

Public transport services will remain suspended and early childhood education (daycare) will remain closed in the capital region due to the strike.

The Helsingin seudun liikenne (Helsinki Regional Transport Authority)- HSL on January 25 said that bus workers decided to join the strike as a result HSL bus services will not operate on February 2.