Conference turris::scandia

69.0. "Finnish industrial strike - March 1986" by TLE::SAVAGE (Neil, @Spit Brook) Thu Mar 13 1986 15:07

Associated Press Thu 13-MAR-1986 10:49                        

    HELSINKI, Finland (AP) - Most of Finland's industry ground to a
    halt today when more than 240,000 employees walked off their jobs
    in this country's largest strike in 30 years.
    
    The strike - called over wages and working hours - was joined by
    about 44,000 metal workers, 38,000 paper workers, 11,000 textile
    workers and about 60,000 employees in the building and construction
    industries. Plumbers, painters, masons, floor layers and other
    tradesmen also stopped working.
    
    Most large industries, sawmills, plywood manufacturers,
    carpentry shops and boatbuilders were brought to a standstill by
    the strike.
    
    The strike began at noon after the million-member Confederation
    of Trade Unions and the Central Federation of Finnish Employers
    failed to reach agreement on a new contract despite last-ditch
    efforts to resolve the dispute.
    
    The unions, which were demanding wage increases over two years,
    a gradual cut in the work week and a system of flexible working
    hours, had served strike notice to the employers two weeks ago.
    
    Truck transport between Finland and Sweden and ferry transport
    to West Germany was not included in the strike.
    
    The National Board of Civil Aviation said international flights
    would not be affected by the strike. But four of the country's 20
    daily domestic air routes were cancelled when some fire and rescue
    brigades went on strike.
    
    In an interview on Finnish radio broadcast two hours before the
    strike deadline, trade union confederation chairman Pertti Viinanen
    said the gap between the two sides had narrowed after the latest
    offer from employers.

    According to todays newspapers here in Sweden the strike ended at
    10 yesterday evening.
    
    Olof

    Yes but I think it was just the first one of a series...
    

    
    True, tomorrow morning is beginning a two days strike
    which will stop allmos all train/plane traffic in the country.
    
    So if anybody is coming to Finland this week you might
    consider using a ferry from Stockholm.

Associated Press Thu 24-APR-1986 19:56                      BRF--Finland Mail

                U.S. Mail To Finland Blocked By Work Stoppage
    
    WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Postal Service on Thursday stopped accepting
    mail destined to Finland because of a government workers' strike in
    that European country. Mailers whose letters or packages are returned
    marked "service temporarily suspended" may apply to their local post
    office for a postage refund, spokesman Bob Hoobing said. 
    
    The only other U.S. mail embargo currently in effect is for mail to
    Chad, an African country in the midst of a war. Hoobing said there was
    no transportation available to Chad. 
    
    Although the Postal Service had no figures available on the number of
    pieces of mail sent to Finland on an average day, it said 159,108
    kilograms (350,833 pounds) of letters, newspapers and parcels were
    shipped there last year. 

    and the srike has been going on for over 4 weeks, and no end in
    sight...