By announcing industrial actions, the unions have put on sad show of strength and are playing with fire
The technology industries are threatened with extensive three-day strikes starting on February 1st. In addition, overtime bans have been announced for the industry and consulting sector. According to announcements, overtime bans will start immediately or in the next few days. The unions justify their announcements for industrial actions with the breakdown of collective agreement negotiations.
Jarkko Ruohoniemi, the CEO of Technology Industry Employers of Finland, regrets the use of industrial actions in the negotiations. It is playing with fire to threaten strikes like this as the economic outlook is worsening and uncertainty is exceptionally high. The parties still have very different views on the level of the pay settlement even though the Technology Industry Employers of Finland has been understanding towards the concerns of the trade unions and the employees they represent.
-The negotiators must carry responsibility for concluding the agreements in any case even though the negotiation room is changed to the conciliator’s office. The solutions will only be reached by negotiating. Hiding behind the conciliator is not possible, Ruohoniemi clarifies.
The strike announced by the Industry Union would start on February 1st at 00:00 and end on February 3rd at midnight. The strike would concern 17 key export companies in technology industry. The overtime ban announced by the union concerns the whole sector starting from January 18th and ending on February 3th at midnight.
The strike announced by the Trade Union Pro would also start on February 1st and end on February 3rd if no solution is found before that. The strike threatens 13 industrial companies. The overtime ban announced by the union started immediately in the industrial and consulting sectors. The overtime ban will continue for an indefinite period.
The strike announced by the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN would take place at the same time and concerns 14 industrial companies. The overtime ban announced by the union starts on January 18th at 00:00 and will continue for an indefinite period in the industrial and consulting sectors.
The strike announced by the Finnish Electrical Workers’ Union would also start on February 1st and end on February 3rd. The overtime ban announced by the union dates to the same time.