Several trade unions have said they will participate in nationwide political strikes next week in opposition to the government's plans to reform labour market laws and cut some social security benefits.
The first announcement came from the Industrial Union last Friday, when it said about 60,000 of its members would walk off their jobs for three days from 14 to 16 February.
This was followed earlier this week with similar announcements from the service sector union PAM as well as from the Finnish Electrical Workers' Union.
In addition, the white-collar Pro union, the Finnish Food Workers' Union SEL and — most recently on Thursday — the union presenting railway workers have all said they will also join the strikes.
The walkouts will take place between 11 and 17 February, depending on the union.
This article summaries the impact the strikes will have on different sectors — although more strike announcements covering the same period are expected in the coming days.
Train services
The railway union on Thursday announced its plans to join the political strikes.
According to the union's press release, its members will strike on a staggered basis between Monday 12 and Tuesday 13 February.
This means that, for example, train drivers will not report for duty on Monday, while rail traffic controllers will walk out from Monday evening until Tuesday evening.
National rail operator VR responded to the announcement by initially saying that train services may be interrupted due to the strike, before later confirmed that all long-distance, overnight and commuter train services will be cancelled on Monday.
In addition, the capital region's transport authority, HSL, said local train routes would be affected.
Shops
Service sector union PAM's strike will take place from 14 to 16 February, and impact workers at 19 logistics centres around the country.
The walkouts therefore could have a potential knock-on effect on supplies to supermarket chains including S-Group, Kesko and Lidl.
In a press statement released earlier this week, the union said that about 10,000 workers will take part in the strike.
The Finnish Commerce Federation, a lobby group for the commercial sector, said food shelves are unlikely to run out of stock as a result of the strike, but some individual product groups may be affected or selections may be narrower than normal.
Food sector
The Finnish Food Workers' Federation SEL announced that its members would walk off their jobs for either two or three days, depending on the workplace, between 11 and 16 February.
The union represents food industry workers, such as those involved in the preparing, packing and storing of food goods as well as related maintenance and repair work.
The strikes will especially affect bakeries and soft drinks factories belonging to a wide range of companies. In addition, Fazer's in-store bakeries at Prisma and Citymarket outlets across the country will also go on strike.
The Pro union, representing office and clerical workers, said it would extend its action to include members working in the food sector.
Industry
The Industrial Union announced last week that 60,000 workers will strike from 14-16 February, with 7,000 members of the Pro union working within the industrial sector also expected to join.
If implemented, the walkouts will bring a large part of Finnish industry to a standstill — with Finnish forestry firms such as UPM, Metsä Group and Stora Enso likely to be especially affected.
The operations of several other well-known Finnish companies — such as Nokia, Valmet, Fiskars, Kone, as well as the Meyer Turku and Rauma Shipyards — will also be impacted.
Energy production
The Finnish Electrical Workers' Union announced earlier this week that its workers at nuclear- and hydro-power plants would join the strike between 14 and 16 February.
The strike call affects the union's production, maintenance and repair staff at nuclear power plants — including the Olkiluoto and Loviisa units — as well as at several hydroelectric power plants.
A total of around 500 union workers are scheduled to take part in the strike.
Arto Pahkin of Fingrid, operator of the national grid, told Yle that the strikes are unlikely to have a significant effect on the price of electricity.
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