Police, prison, treasury staff start 2-day strike

Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL, the Negotiation Organisation for Public Sector Professionals JUKO, and Trade Union Pro started a two-day strike at selected state sector workplaces early Tuesday.

The state sector employees are observing the strike demanding collective agreement negotiation and pay hike that follow the general level.

The strike is being observed in Police administration at the Western Uusimaa Police Department and all of its units, State Treasury, Prison and Probation Service of Finland at Hämeenlinna and Vantaa prisons excepting prisoners’ health care.

The strike is also taking place at the Finnish Government Shared Services Centre for Finance and HR (Palkeet), the city of Hämeenlinna, government ICT Centre Valtori and all locations in the city of Helsinki, excluding tasks related to county and municipal elections.

The Office for the Government as Employer (VTML) halted the state sector collective agreement negotiations on 7 March and has since then shown no willingness to resume them, said the unions.

The JHL in a press release on Monday said that the National Conciliator’s conciliation proposal in the state sector collective agreement dispute was not considered good enough, and the dispute continues promoting the unions to enforce the pre-announced first phase of two-day strike from 12.01 a.m. on Tuesday to 11.59 p.m. of Wednesday.

Executive bodies of the negotiating parties did not approve the conciliation proposal which the National Conciliator submitted on Sunday in an effort to resolve the bargaining dispute on the state sector collective agreement, said the unions.

The employee side did not approve the proposed pay rises, which are below the general level 7.8% resulting the disagreement on the pay rise amount.

The strike will significantly affect the police services in Western Uusimaa on Tuesday and Wednesday, said police in a press release on Monday.

During the strike, the police will handle only the tasks that are essential to prevent a threat to citizens' life or health, or to protect property that is especially at risk due to the labour dispute.

The Police Board, Western Uusimaa Police Department, and the Finnish Police Union (SPJL) and the staff organizations have reached an agreement on Monday on the protection tasks during the strike.

Police patrols working on protection tasks will handle urgent duties during the strike. These duties include tasks that are essential to prevent a threat to life or health or to protect property that is particularly at risk due to the strike.

Other police departments near Western Uusimaa Police Department can support the patrols of Western Uusimaa only in tasks related to protection work. Citizens can still call the emergency number 112 in life-threatening or health-threatening situations during the strike.

Necessary first actions and investigations related to crimes against life and health will also be handled.

“The personnel resources available to the police, as agreed through negotiations with the unions, will be smaller than usual during the strike. Protection tasks will be handled by professional personnel,” said Police Chief Timo Saarinen.

Espoo Main Police Station as well as police stations at Kirkkonummi, Lohja, and Raasepori will all be closed to customers on strike days.

Western Uusimaa Police Department’s crime report reception will be closed at all police stations. Crime reports can be made online or at any other police station according to their service hours.

Western Uusimaa Police Department’s permit services will be closed at all police stations on strike days. The police will not be able to serve customers who have an appointment for applying for a passport, ID card, firearm license, or private security license on Tuesday, or Wednesday.

Similarly, the police will not be able to accept customers with appointments for firearm presentations and no separate message will be sent to customers regarding appointment cancellations due to the strike. Customers whose appointments are canceled due to the strike must rebook an appointment through the police electronic service.

Western Uusimaa Police Department will not be able to accept asylum or temporary protection applications at their police stations on strike days. Applications can be submitted at any other police station.

“Although the strike that has been announced will only last two days, police employees do work that is essential for protecting the lives and health of people every day. The Police will take care of these tasks during the strike,” said Kati Korpi, Chief of Administration.

The next three-day strike is due to start on 22 April, if agreement is not found on the state sector pay rises by this time, said the unions.