Transport, daycare, power services halt as more unions start strike

Power production and supply, public transport and daycare services will remain suspended across the country as more trade unions started strike on Wednesday protesting against the cuts in employee rights and social welfare undertaken by the Kansallinen Kokoomus (National Coalition Party-NCP) led four-party alliance government.

The Industrial Union (Teollisuusliitto) is observing a large-scale political strikes targeting several industrial sectors from February 14 to February 16 to oppose the Orpo government’s attacks on unemployment security and job security, restrictions on the right to strike, and other measures that will harm employees’ everyday lives and rights, said the union.

Riku Aalto, Chairman of the Industrial Union said that further industrial action is required because the government is still not showing any willingness to listen to workers.

The strikes will involve around 60,000 industrial workers and will bring a large share of Finnish industry to a standstill.

The strikes, however, will not hamper the emergency work or to work that is necessary for the protection of life and health.

Meanwhile, Finnish Transport Workers’ Union (Auto- ja Kuljetusalan Työntekijäliitto- AKT) and The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL) are started a two-day strike from Wednesday, which will disrupt public transport services.

A strike will halt metro, tram, light rail and most bus services on Wednesday and Thursday, said the Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (Helsingin seudun liikenne- HSL).

The JHL has announced a tram and metro strike and the AKT has announced a bus strike.

Commuter trains and the ferries to Suomenlinna and Kruunuvuorenranta will run as normal.

Services were halted from the early hour of Tuesday to Wednesday after the end of night service. Services will resume about 4.30am on Friday.

The strike will also hit local traffic in Turku and Tampere on Wednesday 14 February and Thursday 15 February 2024. The strike will stop tram and metro traffic entirely. It will also have an extensive impact on bus services.

In the energy sector, JHL and other trade unions are organising a strike that will stop electricity production in several power plants on 14–16 February 2024. JHL’s strike concerns Kuopion Energia Oy, Enersense IN Oy (Helen Oy’s functions) and Helen Oy.

District heat is produced in so-called peak-load heating plants, so it is possible to supply customers with district heat also during the strike.

During the strike in Kuopion Energia, one Haapaniemi power plant will be left in stand-by mode, and the other will be wound down entirely. Work tasks that must be performed in order to protect people’s life, health or property are ruled out of the strike.

Day care centres and other early childhood education and care will be shut down for three days in several municipalities between Tuesday and Wednesday. The strike applies to both public and private early childhood education and care in these municipalities: Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vaasa, Mustasaari, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Joensuu, Oulu, Turku and Pori.

All forms of early childhood education and care will be involved in the strike. In practice, the strike will shut down the majority of day care centres in the strike cities. Family day carers, too, will be striking. In addition, all work tasks provided by personnel services provider Seure within early childhood education and care will be on strike.

Furthermore, companies and enterprises responsible for the cities’ catering and facility services will be striking. Palvelukeskus Helsinki, Vantti from Vantaa, Espoon Catering, Lööki from Oulu, Jyväskylän Kylänkattaus, Voimia from Pirkanmaa, Tampereen infra, Tampereen tilapalvelut, Servica which operates in Eastern Finland, Kaarea which operates in Southwest Finland Polkka – Pohjois-Karjalan tukipalvelut Oy and Teese Botnia Oy Ab will be involved in the strike.

Trade Union JHL is continuing its strikes because the Government is still intending to break Finnish people’s right to strike and bring misery to working life. The worst cuts may be yet to come, JHL President Håkan Ekström said.

“There has been increasing talk in public about the Government’s new plans related to cuts. We are forced to make our voice heard so that the Government would start to negotiate on the reforms. Otherwise, regular employees will be facing very tough times,” Ekström added.

JHL’s strikes are a part of central organisation SAK’s Serious Grounds campaign. The campaign opposes the Government’s unfair policy, the JHL said in a press release.

Rail communication remained suspended across the country as the Railway Union Association (Rautatiealan Unioni Ry-RAU) observed a strike from Monday to Tuesday.

Earlier, the Industrial Union (Teollisuusliitto) on February 2, announced a large-scale political strikes targeting several industrial sectors from February 14 to February 16 protesting against the cuts in employee rights and social welfare undertaken by the government.

Rail, road and air traffics remained suspended and normal activities in various service sectors including daycares, factories and groceries were hampered as different trade unions observed a 48-hour strike across the country from February 1.