The Federation of Finnish Financial Services FKL said that although no teller service will be available at bank counters, cash dispensers, essential online services and card transactions should continue to function normally. Salaries, pensions and social support payments will also be deposited into customers’ accounts as usual.
The Finnish Social Insurance Institute Kela previously indicated that pension and disability benefit payments normally due on December 14th would be paid on December 11th.
30,000 Workers to Strike
On Wednesday Suora, which represents in the finance, insurance, gaming and alcohol sectors; Rahoitusleijonat, which represents Sampo Bank employees and the Federation of Professional and Managerial Staff YTN, turned down a proposal put forward by the state labour mediator, claiming that they were not satisfied with the proposed salary increases.
“We wanted to apply the regular sectoral contract negotiations based on our specific needs and salary capabilities, so that we would get good results from the banks in addition to salary increases that are rightfully due to workers,” explained Suora President Tarja Lankila.
Representing the employer across the bargaining table, the Federation of Finnish Financial Services was prepared to accept the offer. Heikki Vitie, Chair of FKL’s Labour Market Board said he was disappointed by the outcome of the negotiations.
“We hoped the labour representatives would have shouldered their responsibilities in these difficult economic circumstances. The offer was the most reasonable from every point of view, and would have allowed us to safeguard industrial peace in the sector,” he said during a briefing.
Some 30,000 workers in the financial sector will down their pens in the industrial action, including supervisors, specialists and professional staff.