A walkout by five unions brings electricity production to a halt, and district heating has to be backed up by emergency plans.
FIVE UNIONS representing energy workers on Friday announced a 24-hour work stoppage next Thursday, December 14, at more than a dozen power plants in major cities.
As a result of the political strike, the electricity production of the affected power plants is stopped and the production of district heating has to take place under emergency conditions.
The district heating networks of the power plants are home to public utilities and large companies, as well as hundreds of thousands of households that depend on the district heating network.
“We are taking political action to oppose the Finnish government’s plans to reduce workers’ rights to industrial action, working conditions and job security. If they are implemented, they will destroy the jointly built labor market model based on collective bargaining,” the union representatives noted in a statement.
The shutdown affects Fortum’s Suomenoja power plant in Espoo, Vantaan Energia’s waste power plant and Martinlaakso and Järvenpää power plants; Tampereen Energia’s power plants and Tampere Vera, Turku Energia’s power plants in Naantali and Alholmen’s Kraft power plant in Pietarsaari.
The industrial action involves members of the Finnish Electrical Workers’ Union, the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL), the Pro Union, the Union of Finnish Machine Operators and the Union of Professional Engineers.
