Amicus will support striking Finnish paper
workers
Monday 15th May 2006
Paperiliitto launches 48-hour
strike in Finnish paper sector
The papermakers union in Finland, Paperiliitto, has
began a 48-hour strike at 64 paper mills owned by companies
affiliated with the Finnish employers’ organisation, Forest
Industries Federation. The strike by 20,000 Finnish workers is in
protest to the harsh social measures through which the industry has
chosen to improve profitability.
The strikes are set to run until 17 May, affecting all major
paper firms including Stora Enso and UPM Kymmene. Other mills and
paper converters owned by M-real, Metsä Tissue, Myllykoski, and
other, smaller companies are also affected. Paperiliitto’s
Executive Committee decided to allow Stora Enso’s mill at Panakoski
and UPM Kymmene’s mill at Voikkaa mill to operate. Stora has the
Panakoski mill up for sale, while UPM intends to shut down the
Voikkaa mill by year end, even though it is a viable operation that
could be sold.
On 17 May, office workers across the Finnish paper sector,
represented by the Union of Salaried Workers Trade Union, will
strike for 24 hours in similar protest.
Stora and UPM, the largest Nordic paper companies, announced
broad restructuring plans. In order to cut production capacity to
maintain high prices, Stora Enso announced in the last quarter of
2005 that it would slash 2,000 jobs and close 10 mills worldwide.
UPM Kymmene said it would cut 2,560 jobs, and that three mills in
Finland would be shuttered. The other companies have also cut jobs
in Finland, although at smaller numbers.
Paperiliitto President Jouko Ahonen, said the cuts to jobs and
workers’ livelihoods reflect a disturbing trend as to social
awareness by the paper manufacturers. “Finland has moved to
a management culture where shareholders are now the
priority,” he said. “Paperworkers feel deeply
insulted at the way they have been treated by
employers.”
Amicus Assisitant General Secretary, Tony Burke, commented on
the dispute in Finland: "We are in contact with our
colleagues in the Finnish paper making union about the dispute
directly and through ICEM. As we have done before, if we are asked
for support by our colleagues in Finland, we will do whatever we
can to help them.
“We are not surprised by the dispute as the major
companies in Finland has previously attempted to push through major
changes to working conditions last year. If the disputes escalate I
think we could see the possibility of a paper shortages as we did
last year. This lead to print companies buying in stocks to ride
out a lenghty dispute.
“During the last dispute Amicus convened a meeting of
union reps in the UK of Finnish owned companies in readiness to
provide support. That dispute was resolved through the intervention
of the Finnish prime minister.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Tony Burke on
07831 659936 or Ashraf Choudhury in the Amicus press office on 020
7420 8914.
