The trade union Pro has said that members of the forest industry giant UPM will leave their jobs on New Year’s Day if the company does not agree to a new collective agreement.
The strike will last for three weeks, as will the Paper Association’s imminent strike at UPM’s premises in Finland.
The current collective agreement for Pro employees expires on December 31, and UPM has said it has rejected all invitations to negotiate a new agreement.
UPM wants flexibility in changing working conditions for people doing the same job in different units, but unions are opposed to the change.
From the beginning of the year, UPM plans to unilaterally adopt the new terms and conditions of employment without an agreement with the trade unions.
Traditionally, Finnish labor negotiations have been sector-specific, and the collective agreement guarantees peace at work between trade unions and companies.
This time, employers’ organizations have refused to negotiate a sector-wide agreement, preferring to negotiate on a company-by-company basis.
Source: The Nordic Page
