The largest-circulation daily, Helsingin Sanomat, reports that the NGO Finnwatch, which seeks to encourage corporate responsibility, publishes a report on Tuesday revealing more problems in the production of fruit juice sold by the largest Finnish retail chains. The group says it has found evidence of human trafficking and forced labour in the production of pineapple juice.
The new allegations focus on Vita Food Factory, which supplies juice to the Finnish companies SOK, Kesko and Tuko Logistics, which between them operate the vast majority of grocery stores in the country. Finnwatch suspects Vita Food Factory of confiscating workers’ passports, violently punishing migrant labourers and keeping them in conditions that resemble wage slavery.
Meanwhile in a smaller-scale domestic case, HS provides more details of a case in the south-eastern town of Kouvola. It says that in 2011, a 32-year-old Turkish man was tricked into working without pay at a restaurant owned by a compatriot. The victim’s travel to Finland was arranged by an international criminal gang specialised in passport forgery and illegal immigration from Turkey into the Schengen area.
Oulu loses corporate taxes
Northern Finland’s biggest daily, the Oulu-based Kaleva, leads off with city government finances. Mayor Matti Pennanen had relatively good news for Oulu’s city councillors for a change on Monday evening. He said that local government had managed to cut costs last autumn.
“Meanwhile we seem to have collected more tax revenues than predicted,” Pennanen said, “even though corporate taxes have frozen up.” The latter is partly due to a phase-out of local operations by Nokia and its subcontractors.
Turku daily celebrates 190th birthday
Finland’s oldest newspaper, Åbo Underrättelser, has been published in the country’s former capital, Turku, since 1824. On Tuesday it has published a special 190th anniversary edition featuring then-and-now photos of the city.
The paper also reports on negotiations underway on improving ferry service between Pargas on the south-west coast and the island of Nagu. The local Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment is holding talks with the maritime operator Finferries. Islanders complained of long queues to board the ferry all last autumn and this winter there has been a shortage of space for cars on the vessel.
The commuter freesheet Metro, meanwhile, leads off its front page with the conviction of former Transport Union boss Timo Räty and two of his deputies for harassment, assault and occupational safety offenses. However the top of the front page is taken up by a picture of robotic French electronic duo Daft Punk, who won Grammy Awards for best album and record of 2013.