The Food Industry Workers' Union and the Food & Drink Industries Federation met again for talks on Monday. If agreement cannot be found in the food processing sector, a new strike is scheduled to begin on the 25th of this month. The parties to the dispute last met on the 7th and the situation was so deadlocked that Labour Minister Anni Sinnemäki ordered a two-week delay in any strike to give the two side more time to work out a deal.
Representatives of municipalities and the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy) are also meeting Monday with Lonka. The union, which has already implemented action including an overtime ban in a number of parts of the country, is pressing for separate contract terms, not tied to a general agreement for municipal employees.
Meanwhile, a dispute that threatens to lead to a bus strike in Helsinki is under review.
Efforts to avert bus strike
The parties in talks aimed at averting a strike in Helsinki's internal bus services are to meet Monday with District Conciliator Heikki Pohja to review the situation.
The dispute began when one company that handles city routes, Helsingin Bussiliikenne Oy, announced that it planned to cancel its own contract with employees and implement the general sector agreement of the Employers’ Federation of Road Transport. Unions say that this would significantly weaken the present terms and conditions of employment.
If a settlement is not found, union members working for Helsingin Bussiliikenne Oy will begin a strike at 4 AM on Thursday the 20th, lasting through the following Saturday evening. Drivers went on strike in this same dispute briefly at the beginning of the month, bringing around 40% of the capital's bus services to a halt.
