Daycare centres in the Helsinki metropolitan region are set to close their doors on 31 January and 1 February due to a strike by teaching staff.
Trade unions represening the sector announced on Tuesday that their members who work in early childhood education in the capital region will join the nationwide strikes being called to protest the government's planned labour market reforms.
The walkout will affect both public and private daycare centres in Helsinki, Espoo, Kauniainen and Vantaa.
In a press release, the SuPer union clarified that the strike will not affect services such as 24-hour daycare centres, home family day care, group family day care, private family day care or care assistance services.
Separately, the Tehy union said the industrial action is being called because the unions are against the government's plans for an 'export model' economy — meaning that any wage increases in the export industry would set the ceiling for all other sectors of the Finnish economy.
"We simply cannot allow male-dominated industries to dictate the level of pay increases for nurses and the goal of equal pay to be buried," Tehy chair Millariikka Rytkönen wrote in the press release.
In SuPer's statement, chair Silja Paavola noted that all workers would suffer from the government's plans.
"The cuts to working life in the government programme would, if implemented, affect all workers and mean really significant cuts for some," Paavola said in the statement.
The JHL union — representing the public and welfare sectors — meanwhile stated that it is ready to undertake further industrial action if the government fails to open negotiations with the unions on the proposed labour market reforms.
"Our most important duty is to ensure that our members’ terms and conditions of employment and working conditions will continue to remain in order. The government’s plans are threatening to make a serious mess of the Finnish labour market," JHL's interim president Håkan Ekström said.
Strikes spreading
Last week, two of Finland's largest trade union federations, SAK and STTK, unveiled plans to stage a demonstration against the government's proposed reform of labour market laws.
Trade unions in various fields have since announced plans to also participate in the political strike, with the Industrial Union saying that some 60,000 of its members at 700 locations will walk out for two days starting on 1 February.
Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. You can create your Yle ID via this link. Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here.
