Countrywide shipping strike likely on March 1

The Finnish Seafarers' Union is planning to launch labor action on March 1 that will be affecting all commercial shipping under the flag of Finland and the state icebreakers unless an agreement is reached, national broadcaster Yle reported Thursday.

Even though the strike only concerns ships under the flag of Finland, the participation of ice breakers will hamper also foreign ships, the report said.

The strike would also comprise passenger cruise ships in the Baltic, Yle reported, adding that 75 percent of the liners between Finland and Sweden are under the Finnish flag, while only one ship on the line to Estonia is Finnish.

The cruise ships have largely an entertainment industry role, but carry also freight. Despite the winter season, thousands of people board the cruise ships daily, often for a 24-hour voyage with only a short turnaround in a port.

Simo Zitting, chairman of the Finnish Seafarers' Union, said the two sides are far apart. He particularly criticized alleged plans of the owners to hire cheaper foreign manpower.

Hans Alhström, deputy director of the Finnish Shipowners' Association, told Yle that 40 percent of Finnish exports use ships under a Finnish flag. He said the strike would be costly to Finnish economy.

According to Yle, the Finnish Shipowners' Association said the union demands a 2.5 percent raise and statute changes with the same impact. The union had told Yle the employers offer 2.2 percent.