News / Strike paralysing Finnish ports extended after talks collapse

Photo: port of Helsinki

The two-week strike by Finnish transport workers that has effectively shut down the country’s ports is set to enter a third week, after union members voted to extend the action until 1 April.

Around 7,000 workers across the transport, industrial and electrical sectors, and including the AKT transport workers union, have been on strike since 11 March in protest at proposed labour reforms by the Finnish government.

A meeting between representatives of SAK, the country’s trade union confederation, and government officials yesterday fell apart, following which union officials announced the strike would continue.

“We are disappointed. We had hoped for a more even-handed approach and some mitigation of hard measures for employees,” said SAK president Jarkko Eloranta.

“The government did not compromise, and still intends to implement several industrial policy objectives with negative consequences for employees.

“Many of them will have no impact on employment or on the balance of public finances; they are not motivated by practicality, but are purely ideological,” he added.

As a result, container operations at Finland’s main ports – Helsinki, Kotka, Turku and Rauma – have been suspended for a further week, and container terminal operators said once dockers returned to the ports the backlog could take several days to clear.

Finnsteve, which operates terminals in Helsinki and Turku, said today: “Due to the strike, all of our operations, including the unloading, loading, receipt, and delivery of all types of large units, have been suspended.

“Please note that we estimate it will take four working days to recover from the disruption and return to normal production speed,” it added.

A customer advisory from shipping line ONE also advised shippers of delays once the indistral action is over. It said: “We expect operations will resume on 2 April, due to the Easter holidays.

“The strike will continue to have significant impact on operations and will lead to further backlog of cargo to/from Finland,” it added.