National Conciliator Minna Helle issued a compromise solution to a contract dispute in the mechanical forest products industry on Saturday. The state labour mediator has given the two sides, the Finnish Forest Industries Federation and the Industrial Union, until evening to approve or reject the draft.
The Industrial Union, which represents employees in the wood sector, is threatening to begin a week-long strike at 6am Monday if no deal is reached. That could shut or severely hamper the nation's sawmills and plywood factories.
Strike "extremely likely" if either side says no
The union has already imposed an overtime ban in the sector. Helle's office says it is "extremely likely" that the industrial action will go ahead if either side rejects the conciliation proposal. The dispute centres on wages and other issues.
Earlier this week Helle brokered an agreement between the Forest Industries Federation and the Trade Union Pro in a long-running contract dispute in the paper sector. That pact gives 2,400 professionals an average pay hike of about one and a half percent this year and next.
Helle, a former union lawyer, became the first woman to serve as National Conciliator three years ago.