A threatened shipping strike has been put off for two weeks, and will not begin before 6 April. The union had announced a strike scheduled to begin on 23 March, but that has been postponed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.
In a tweet on Tuesday, National Conciliator Minna Helle said that the situation is serious and that industrial action is still possible. The strike would involve ship’s mates and officers on all cargo vessels and passenger car ferries sailing under the Finnish flag.
Talks between the Finnish Ship’s Officers’ Union and the Finnish Shipowners’ Association are to re-start next week.
At Helle’s request, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment activated a clause allowing it to delay a possible strike’s start date by two weeks if the strike's extent would significantly harm the economy and the "common good". That also applies to a planned support strike by icebreakers.
The main disputes over pay and working hours remain unresolved. On Friday the Ship’s Officers’ Union rejected a compromise proposal by Helle, which the employers’ group had approved.
Icebreaker deal struck, other strikes loom
Last Thursday, a deal was reached in a separate labour dispute over conventional and multipurpose icebreakers, so their own strike threat was rescinded.
The sides in that dispute agreed on a three-year contract based on Helle’s compromise proposal.
Meanwhile others industrial disputes are brewing.
The Finnish Electrical Workers' Union is threatening a nine-day walkout beginning 9 April. It would involve some 2,500 employees at firms owned by members of the Service Sector Employers (Palta). The trade union has been negotiating for months with without result.
The Electrical Workers' Union has also called a separate work stoppage to begin in the energy, IT and networks sector next Monday, 26 March. With about 5,000 employees at Palta and Finnish Energy firms set to walk off the job, it would affect nearly all electric and heat production in the country.