The Industrial Union issued new strike warnings to the technology and chemical industries – the strikes would be due to begin on 24 February

Today, 7 February, the Industrial Union has issued new strike warnings to the technology and chemical industries. If implemented, the company-specific strikes would last five days, beginning Monday 24 February.

Strike warnings are part of organisational efforts by the Industrial Union to speed up the achievement of a contractual solution for the technology and chemical industry workers.

According to Riku Aalto, President of the Industrial Union, the wage increases pursued by the Industrial Union take into account both purchasing power and competitiveness.

“Contrary to what employers have publicly claimed, our goal does take the competitiveness of the industry into account. We have scaled our goal to take into account both the improvement of purchasing power and the maintenance of competitiveness,” Aalto says.

“I would like to remind, that we have concluded more than 50 company-specific collective agreements for the mechanical forest industry, the cost impact of which is between seven and nine percent. The contracts have a period of two years. The industry is in a situation more challenging than other export industries. Nevertheless, companies have considered the cost level of the contractual solutions reasonable,” Aalto points out.

The coordination of employers complicates the negotiation situation

“The strict negotiation coordination of employers makes the negotiation situation very difficult as we are practically urged into a centralised wage settlement rather than allowed to take the requirements of the export industries into account. This is exactly the opposite of what the export-led wage model should mean,” Aalto states.

“The responsibility to reach contractual solutions as quickly as possible is shared by us, the technology industry employers and the chemical industry alike. Collective bargaining in other industries cannot proceed until our contracts have been reached,” Aalto continues.

“I find the situation ahead concerning, as a significant number of collective agreements expire without the possibility for contractual solutions. Delays in reaching contractual solutions will significantly increase the risk of labour market disruptions and should therefore be avoided,” Aalto adds.

Duration and locations of industrial action

Company-specific strike warnings have been issued to 63 businesses in the technology and chemical industries.

In addition to the strike warnings concerning technology industry and chemical industry workers, the Industrial Union issued a strike warning to Pölkky Oy today. The strike warning applies to company-specific collective bargaining.

The businesses in question employ approximately 8,500 people between them. Company-specific walkouts would be scheduled to begin on 24 February 2025 and end on 28 February 2025.

The walkouts do not apply to emergency work or work necessary to protect life and health.

The collective agreement for the technology industry workers expired on 30 November 2024 and the collective agreements for the chemical industry on 31 December 2024.

More detailed information about the industrial action as well as the affected locations and businesses can be found on the Industrial Union’s website by following this link.