Industrial Union starts another 6-day strike

The Industrial Union (Teollisuusliitto) has started another six-day strike from early Monday night in the second phase of its agitation programme to press home various demands including pay hike and contract solutions for the technology and chemical industry workers.

Earlier, the union observed a six-day strike in the first phase from January 27 to February 1 and decided to enforce another pre-announced six-day strike from Monday after the negotiation between the union and the employers of the Technology Industries was ended on Saturday without any fruitful solution, said the union.

The negotiation meeting between the union and employers is scheduled to be held again on Wednesday, said the union in a post on its social media platform Facebook on Saturday.

The strike started early Monday and will continue until February 8 affecting 63 enterprises in the technology and chemical industries.

The strike will be also observed at the sites of forest-based bio-industry company UPM Plywood Ltd and UPM-Kymmene Corporation over the same period.

The Union also warned of another five-day strike in the third phase from February 10, unless its demands are fulfilled by this time.

The third phase strike warnings have been issued to 60 businesses in the technology and chemical industries. The businesses in question employ approximately 8,000 people between them.

Meanwhile, the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), the Electrical Workers’ Union, the Construction Trade Union and Service Union United PAM already extended support to the strike called by the Industrial Union.

The Industrial Union has previously announced that its goal for the collective agreement negotiations is to secure a 10% pay rise for workers.

This figure is needed to boost workers’ purchasing power in a climate where the cost of living has risen sharply in the last couple of years.