Industrial Union adopts new political industrial action measures against impairments to working life – Overtime ban enters into force in several industrial sectors

The Industrial Union has announced today 9 January 2024 an overtime ban in several industrial sectors. The overtime ban is a political industrial action aimed at defending employees against the Government’s impairments to working life. Turja Lehtonen, Deputy Chair of the Industrial Union, points out that the Finnish Government holds the means to break the deadlock in the labour market.

“The Government alone can solve the labour market crisis it has caused through its own actions. Hopefully, 2024 will bring the Government the wisdom it lacked in 2023. Unilateral impairments to working life are not part of the Nordic model.

“The Industrial Union continues to tighten the screw with industrial action. We cannot accept the heavy-handed politics, impairments of rights and cuts directed at employees,” says Turja Lehtonen.

The overtime ban announced by the Industrial Union will begin on 10 January 2024 at midnight and end on 4 February 2024 at midnight. The overtime ban applies to the following organised sectors:

Car retail and engineering branch, Motor vehicle tyre branch, Fiskars Finland Oy Ab employees, Brushmaking branch, Precious metals industry, Chemical basic industry, Footwear and leather industry, Rubber industry, Glass and ceramics industry, Glazing, construction glazing and glass processing branch, Plastics and chemical products industry, Textile and fashions branch, Textiles services branch, Boatbuilding industry, Rural industries, Ore mines industry, Sheet and industrial insulation branch, Horticultural branch, Technical service and maintenance, Technology industry, Fur production branch, Peat production, Landscaping branch, Mechanical forestry industry and Carpentry industry.

The overtime ban does not apply to emergency work or work that is necessary to protect life and health.