Chief Inspector Ritva Elomaa told YLE that investigations will continue during March, but she gave no details of the complaints being pursued against Räty.
Last Friday, the union executive dismissed Communications Chief Hilkka Ahde citing “a long-term lack of trust”. This follows an ongoing battle between Räty and Hilkka Ahde. She has levelled charges of harassment in the workplace against him, a matter now in the hands of the police.
The furore in the union has prompted a call from blue-collar union federation (SAK) chief Lauri Lyly for a swift solution to the dispute. In his view, the situation was not only harmful to the union but to the entire trade union movement.
Union staff stage walkout
On Tuesday, several office employees of The Transport Workers’ Union staged a workout in protest against Ahde’s dismissal and some added their accusations towards Timo Räty of harassment at work.
On Tuesday, Räty reiterated in a YLE interview that a long-term lack of trust had existed with dismissed Communications Chief Hilkka Ahde.
Shop steward backs harrasment claims
Commenting on the interview, the Union’s Chief Shop Steward, Jukka Kauppinen, said Räty’s admission in Monday’s interview that he had not spoken with the fired Communications Chief for two years in itself was evidence of harassment. Kauppinen said not speaking to an employee fulfilled the criteria for improper behaviour.
Kauppinen also took issue with the claim of “long-term lack of trust” as the reason for Ahde’s dismissal. He noted that in addition to Räty, the other union executive members were newly recruited with the exception of one.