The parties to the dispute began meeting with National Labour Conciliator Esa Lonka on Tuesday morning. This is the first meeting since the Transport Workers' Union (AKT) issued a strike warning on Friday.
The threatened strike by members of the AKT would stop bus and truck traffic on February 21 -- right at the beginning of the main 'ski vacation' season in southern Finland. More than 10,000 workers could take part in the strike.
Employee demands include extending the minimum time of one work shift from 4.25 hours to 6.25 hours -- a move that management says would be too expensive. It estimates that the AKT's demands would lead to cost increases of 12 percent annually.
2 AKT Strikes at Once?
The AKT is also threatening a strike by dock workers. Mediation in that dispute is to begin on Wednesday. The harbour strike could begin on February 19 if a new contract is not ready by then. However it is not expected to have much direct impact on passenger ferry traffic.
Schools and some offices and businesses are closed in southern Finland for a winter break February 22-26, in much of central Finland March 1-5, and in the north March 8-12.
