Finnish Dockworkers Strike

Finnish dockworkers are staging a 24 hour strike Feb. 2, following the breakdown of contract negotiations Sunday.

The walkout affects the loading and unloading of cargo in Helsinki, Turku, Kotka and four other ports, but passenger shipping is not affected.

The AKT Transport Workers Union has also imposed a ban on overtime work by some 3,100 permanent dockworkers and 400 temporary workers.

The union also threatened to call an open-ended strike from Feb. 19 if a new contract is not negotiated by then. This would choke off most of the country's exports, including paper and pulp shipments.

Finland's national labor arbitrator is expected to set a date soon for the resumption of negotiations between port employers and the union.

Contact Bruce Barnard at brucebarnard47@hotmail.com.