Strikes by major unions bring Finnish industry to standstill

Finnish foreign trade and production in major industries were paralyzed on Monday due to a two-week strike by major trade unions protesting the government’s labor and social security reform plans. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo asserted that the government would not backtrack on the reforms, which include unemployment benefit cuts and increased flexibility for companies. The strikes impacted cargo freight services at Finnish ports and major processing plants, while potential shortages of imported fresh products were anticipated. Finnish fuel producer Neste reached an exemption agreement, but fuel deliveries to Helsinki airport ceased, affecting Finnair’s operations. The Confederation of Industries estimated losses of around 370 million euros from the strike, adding to over one billion euros in winter strike losses.

Source – CGTN