Key:
SU Supported Union
SUO Supported Union Organization
SR Support Request
SA Support Action
A Action
BLK Blockade
BCT Boycott
CB Collective Bargaining
DSP Dispute
E Employer
EC Economic
EO Employer Organization
OB Overtime Ban
PL Parallel
P Source of Pressure
PS Production Shift
RF Rank and File
ST Strike
U Union
UO Union Organization
D Domestic
L Local Level
N National level
I International Level
C Continental Level
R Regional (Supranational) Level
G Global Level
December 2004
FFIF (Metsäteollisuus) rejects national incomes policy agreement.
15 February 05 (Tues)
Collective agreement between Finnish Paper Workers’ Union (FPWU) and Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) officially expires.
In practice the agreement remains valid as long as negotiations officially continue.
FPWU and FFIF begin union-level negotiations.
FPWU: aim is to secure a one-year agreement with 3.1% wage increases, in accordance with national incomes policy agreement of December 2004.
4 March 05 (Fri)
Union council assembles in Helsinki; puts forth its demands and gives negotiators the discretion to break off negotiations and to ban overtime work.
Decides to support the Miramichi workers (via CEP) with contribution of 5000 euros as expression of solidarity PL-CB/DSP/A
One third of our FPWU members work in UPM mills in Finland
8 March 05 (Tues)
Email to CEP Local 689 from FPWU:
“…In Finland our negotiation group continues its work but it is uncertain if results can be attained without exerting further pressure on employers.”
22 March 05 (Tues)
Negotiations break down.
FPWU declares the collective agreement negotiations officially broken in sector.
At the same time a period with no valid agreement will start.
Union Board decides to institute overall overtime ban starting on Wednesday 30 March at 06.00.
30 Mar 05 (Wed)
Overtime ban takes effect. A-SU
Short, targeted strikes are carried out.
Management retaliates by shutting entire paper machines in certain mills, and sending the scheduled work crew home without pay; actions are in total contradiction with positive working culture that is normal in the Nordic industrial sectors. A-E
7 April 05 (Thurs)
The Swedish Paper Workers’ Union, Svenska Pappers (Pappersindustriarbetareförbundet), blocks shift of production from Finland to Sweden as early as 7 April. SA-I
EIRO: “The Swedish Paper Workers’ Union (Svenska Pappersarbetareförbundet, Pappers), close in interests to the Finnish Paper Workers’ Union (Paaperiliito), started sympathy actions in April 2005. From then and until the Finnish conflict is over Swedish paper workers are not touching any production, goods etc being moved over from Finnish sawmills and paper-works to Sweden.”
21 April 05 (Thurs)
Union issues Strike Warning for all branches in the paper industry in order to speed up the bargaining process.
If no agreement is reached, strikes are to start in the pulp and chemical factories on Sunday, 15 May 2005 at 20.00, continuing to paper and cardboard machines on Monday, 16 May 2005 at 01.00 and to the rest of the functions on Monday, 16 May 2005 at 05.00.
It is decided that the strike will be time fixed at this stage. If no agreement is reached during this period, the strike will end on Wednesday 18 May 2005 at 06.00.
Union declares that employers’ tactic of non-payment of wages during the last days has been a clear provocation and has led to halts in production in the entire pulp and paper industry; it announces that work will restart on Friday 29 April 2005 at 06.00.
28 April 05 (Thurs)
EWC of Stora Enso declares support:
“We, the representatives in the European Works Council for Stora Enso from Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Portugal and Finland, 12 countries, give our support to the workers in the Finnish paper industry … The EWC representatives give their full support to the Finnish workers and employees, who have been the target of severe attacks … We are ready to answer any attack according to national legislation in each country.”
3 May 05 (Tues)
The Shotton Working Group of the EWC of UPM-Kymmene (Austria, Germany,United Kindom, Netherlands, France, Finland) declares support:
“We are ready to show our support according to the national legislation in each country.”
15-17 May 05 (Sun-Tues)
FPWU carries out three-day strike. A/ST-SU
Prior to strike, the FFIF announces that a strike would result in a two-week lockout beginning 18 May. P-E
Prior to stoppage, pulp and paper mills experience numerous shutdowns as a result of union overtime bans and employer threats to close down plants and interrupt salary payments. A-SU
EIRO: “Strikes and lockouts in the Finnish paper industry began 15 May 2005.”
16-17 May 05 (Mon-Tues)
The Swedish Paper Workers’ Union, Svenska Pappers (Pappersindustriarbetareförbundet), implements overtime ban in 10 of Stora Enso’s paper mills. SA-I
The employers are furious, but the sympathy action is legal. P-E
EIRO: “Then, 16 to 18 May 2005, the Swedish Pappers blockaded all over-time work at the Stora Enso industrial estates, located in Sweden.”
17 May 05 (Tues)
FFIF declares new two-week lockout to follow the first one, altogether a 4-weeks lockout is starting. P-E-DN
The lockout is to be instituted immediately after the strike beginning on Wednesday 18 May at 6 AM and to end on 15 June 2005 at 6.00 AM. About 25,000 paper workers are to be affected.
All important issues between parties remain unresolved. The mediating talks today fail; the conciliator and parties are to next meet on Friday 20 May.
Working Committee of M-Real EWC, on behalf of all country delegates (Sweden, Germany, France, Austria, and United Kingdom), declares support:
“… The EWC representatives give their full support to the Finnish workers and employees in the paper industry, who are now the object of the employers’ attack … We are ready to answer any attack taking account the national legislation in each country.”
18 May 05 (Wed)
The Union Board meets as earlier decided.
19 May 05 (Thurs)
The Council of Paperiliitto holds its statutory meeting. It adopts resolution stating in part:
That bargaining on a branch level has turned out to be meetings at which the employer tries to dictate without taking account the workers’ views;
The FPWU thanks the Swedish paper workers and other friends worldwide for support in the struggle against worsening of working terms. The trade unions worldwide show the employers that dictating efforts for weakening of contracts and working terms are not accepted.
25 May 05 (Wed)
EIRO: “Pappers extended the sympathy actions for an overtime blockade at 16 Finnish owned companies within the Stora Enso, Metsi-Tissue, M-real and the Ahlström concerns. 6,300 Swedish paper workers are involved in the blockade, which is open-ended from 2 June. Pappers also called for sympathy actions from other Swedish trade unions.” SA-I
26 May 05 (Thurs)
The EMCEF receives letter from FPWU seeking international support and solidarity. SR-R
It disseminates letter to European affiliates and calls for support action from its affiliates. SR-R
The letter states in part:
“Paperiliitto would appreciate if our fraternal unions could increase pressure on the Finnish forest industry by preventing shift of work from Finland to other countries.
“Swedish Colleagues already control their mills (12% from Finnish owned production). Very important are mills in Germany (21% from production), in France (5%), Great Britain (3%), and North America (10%).
“Furthermore the conflict now is beginning to have serious consequences for the chemical industry. Some Finnish chemical plants have been closed and others are running at about 50-60% of their capacity.” P-EC
The EMCEF states:
“It is now more essential than ever to support Paperiliitto by any means possible according to your respective national legislation.
EMCEF asks you to pay special attention to attempts to move the production outside of Finland.”
31 May 05 (Tues)
The FFIF announces that it will extend its lockout by two weeks, until 29 June, unless a compromise is achieved. P-E-DN
Finnish paper workers now face a total lockout of six weeks.
1 June 05 (Wed)
The National Conciliator Juhani Salonius leaves mediating proposal today at 5 pm; asks for response from parties by Sunday, 5 June, at 5 pm.
Finland’s packaging mills resume production on 1 June after a two-week strike called in support of the lockout. The industry association initially excluded the packaging mills from the lockout, but workers went on strike at those plants anyway, except for one mill that makes milk packages. SA-DN
2-3 June 05 (Thurs-Fri)
EIRO:
“2 and 3 June the latest Swedish actions started and will go on for as long as the Finnish conflict lasts.”
“In the beginning of June 2005 the Swedish Building Workers’ Union (Svenska Byggnadsarbetareförbundet, Byggnads) started a blockade of overtime work, supporting Pappers in refusing to do work that should have been done by Pappers’ members. The same pattern was followed by the Swedish Electricians’ Union (Svenska Elektrikerförbundet), the Swedish Metal Workers’ Union (Svenska Metallarbetareförbundet, Metall) and (Skogs och Träfacket), the trade union for workers in forestry. The mentioned sympathy actions started 2 and 3 June 2005.” SA-I
“The Swedish right of sympathy actions, allowing actions when the primary conflict is legal - i.e. the Swedish Paper Workers’ overtime blockade - is quite extensive. Also trade unions that are in fact not related to the primary conflict may start sympathy actions. The Co-Determination in the Workplace Act (Medbestämmandelagen) contains rules about the conditions of lawful secondary action (SE0302102F).
“The Swedish employers are discontent, on the whole and specifically now in the Finnish conflict, with the sympathy actions allowed in Sweden, and constantly claim that the law should be changed. It is not right for instance, that a conflict in another country might lead to production losses in Sweden, they mean.”
5 June 05 (Sun)
The FPWU Council and Executive Committee reject proposal of conciliator.
The chair of the Metalworkers' Union, Erkki Vuorenmaa, announces that his union would decide on Monday how to respond; he states that the union would demonstrate its sympathy and solidarity, but would not launch any major actions to support the FPWU.
6 June 05 (Mon)
The executive committee of the Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) decides not to mobilize industrial action in support of the FPWU; it decides and announces that each affiliated union can decide independently on whether to take support measures. P-U-DN
Five SAK-affiliated unions – Electrical Workers’ Union, Construction Trade Union Wood and Allied Workers’ Union, Service Union United, Chemical Workers’ Union – all announce that they will take action this week to support the FPWU against the lockout.
The Metalworkers’ Union decides not to initiate any solidarity action. This means that members of that union working in paper factories under conditions set in their contract will continue to do their work during the ongoing lockout, which affects only members of the Paperworkers’ Union.
FPWU President Jouko Ahonen states in YLE Radio interview on Monday that he is confident that his union will get support from other unions. He also states that the paper workers are not asking for sympathy action that would go beyond the forest industry.
8-10 June 05 (Wed-Fri)
FPWU holds 19th statutory congress in Helsinki.
Participants include:
Brazilian National Paper Workers’ Union (SINAP),
Iduigues Martins, President
Bahia Regional Paper Workers’ Union (SINDICELPA),
Carlos Monteira, President
European Mine, Chemical and Energy Workers' Federation (EMCEF)
Reibsch Reinhard, General Secretary
Nordiska Industriarbetarefederationen (NIF)
Sune Ekbåge, ordförande
Svenska Pappersindustriarbetareförbundet
Johansson Lars-Göran
Lundberg Robert
Fellesforbundet
Hillestad Rolf Geir
Gewerkschaft der Chemiearbeiter
Zwierschütz Walter
FILPAC
Bauret Patrick
Industrigewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie (IGBCE)
Kreutzer Gerhard
Linnartz Michael
Eesti Metsatöötajate Ametiuhing
Prozes Konstantin
Timber and Related Industries Workers' Union of Russia, Central Committee
Shaldin Alexey
Loskutova Aleksandra
Central Organisation of Industrial Employees in Denmark (CO-Industri)
Andersen Dan
Andersen Peter
The FPWU reports that unions in Brazil have been bargaining in many mills during recent months.
A new collective agreement has been reached at Veracell, jointly owned by Stora Enso and Aracruz. PL-CB
7 June 05 (Tues)
The Construction Workers’ Union commences sympathy strike at all production facilities of the FFIF. The action affects mills affected by the lockout. The strike is set to last as long as the current lockout is in force. SA-DN
8 June 05 (Wed)
Reinhard Reibsch, General Secretary of EMCEF, reports at the FPWU Congress that a week earlier EMCEF "had the first meeting of paper-unions of Sweden and Germany to coordinate collective bargaining activities. We noticed that in other countries paper unions are also faced with difficult situations in negotiations and we will continue to exchange information on the ongoing negotiations in the various countries. Furthermore, and this is in fact the even more important part of the coordination, we want to avoid that production is shifted from your country to other sites in Europe. Therefore it has been agreed that overtime will not be allowed in the paper industry in other European countries and the affiliates of EMCEF are asked to look after ways to put this in practice."
9 June 05 (Thurs)
The Wood and Allied Workers’ Union begins a work stoppage on Thursday morning in its chipboard, plywood, and Kerto-wood units. SA-DN
ICEM issues “Update,” declaring: “The ICEM continues to fully support Finnish affiliated trade union Paperiliitto in its struggle to fend off harsh concessionary measures from the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.”
It also announces that it “will continue urging affiliates to support” the FPWU. SR-G
10 June 05 (Fri)
The Electrical Workers’ Union commences five-day solidarity strike in maintenance and investment work. SA-DN
10 June 05
RESOLUTION XIX CONGRESS OF THE FINNISH PAPER WORKERS’ UNION
“…For securing also future operational preconditions and jobs in the industry, the Congress proposes that the labor market organizations start long-term cooperation …
“Advocacy in the new operating environment requires that international cooperation between the paper industry workers be enforced and developed. We have to establish close wage earners’ cooperative networks within multinational paper industry companies. The EWC cooperation is a good basis for building the networks.
“The operation of the trade unions and international secretariats must be developed so as to make transnational industry-specific cooperation among the wage earners in the paper industry more effective. Cooperation will primarily be established within the existing organizations, but, as needed, also new structures will be established. The cooperation between the trade unions in the Nordic paper industry could serve as a model for even more extensive cooperation.
“The importance of solidarity is emphasized and gains new content. As necessary, we have to be able to take measures of mutual support across the borders. Stronger paper industry trade unions have to support the cooperation between more poorly organized paper workers and establish preconditions for collective agreement activities in all companies of the industry and in the whole world. Sufficient resources must be allocated for international work.
“… In collaboration with other trade union movement, any opportunities opening for transnational agreements are exploited and the preconditions of these agreements improved.”
11 June 05 (Sat)
On Saturday morning, members of the Chemical Workers’ Union stop installation work in Tampere, as well as gas work maintenance at paper factories around the world. SA-I
14 June 05 (Tues)
Talks break down on Tuesday evening.
The FFIF announces it will extend lockout by an additional one week, extending into July. P-E-DN
State labor mediator Juhani Salonius says the two sides remain too far apart for him to offer another compromise proposal.
The FPWU says it is ready to make concession on issue of operating paper mills through public holidays.
Meanwhile, several other trade unions have launched measures against the FFIF to support the FPWU. SA
Plants producing cardboard and packaging materials, which had re-opened earlier in June, are to close again.
EMCEF presidium issues Athens Declaration stating it “fully supports Paperiliitto in their fight to fend off the harsh concessionary demands put forward by the Finnish Forest Industries.”
It reaffirms that “EMCEF-affiliated trade unions have since the beginning of the industrial conflict supported Paperiliitto.”
It states: “Measures have been taken in several countries to prevent moving of production, and the Swedish trade union Pappers has imposed sympathy industrial actions in Finnish owned plants in Sweden.”
15 Jun 05 (Wed)
The FPWU publicizes the expressions of solidarity and various forms of support it has received from other unions, in order “to encourage our members.”
It announces: “Messages of support and proposals for solidarity actions are flowing in to us and every message is taken appreciating and seriously for consideration.”
It emphasizes at the same time that “the main goal for the Finnish Paper Workers’ Union is to normalize the cooperation with the employers – not to damage the industry.”
“The Nordic countries and the other Europe
- The Swedish Paper Workers’ Union (Svenska Pappers, chairman Sune Ekbåge, bargaining secretary Lennart Olovsson) has given its support on several occasions. The union represents e.g. workers in Stora-Enso, M-real, Metsä-Serla and Ahlström
- The Swedish Construction Workers’ Union (Svenska Byggnads, chairman Hans Tilly) has given its support.
- Fellesförbundet in Norway (Mr. Hans Christian Gabrielsen, Vice President) has given its support and will control the production in order to prevent production transfers from Finland.
- The Oslo Graphical Workers’ Union in Norway (Mr. Svein Mortensen, President) takes part in the united front.
- The Swiss UNIA (Roland Conus, Secretariat central) is with us.
- The French FCE (Jacques Caltot, Delegue Federal) has given us its support.
- The French Filpac (Patrick Bauret, Responsable du secteur papier) represents e.g. workers in UPM and Stora-Enso and supports us.
- The Latvian LMNA Priekssedetajs (Juris Spare) has sent a polite letter to the CEO Mr.Poranen telling its support to us.
- The Timber and Related Worker’ Union of Russia (chairman Valery Otsekurov) supports us backed by one million members.
- The Carelian Republic’s Regional Committee (chairman N.N. Mihailev) from the same Union is strongly on our side.
- The Irkutsk Regional Committee (Chairman Sergei Filatov) from the same Union is with us and wishes us strength and keeping together.
- The Timber and Related Workers Union and together with its many Regional Committees have also addressed the Finnish Wood and Special Workers’ Union and asked it to support us.
- The Bavarian bargaining committee of the German IG BCE has given its support.
- The European guests in our Congress from Austria, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Estonia gave their strong support to the Finnish Paper Workers’ Union e.g. in the press conference.
North and Latin-America
- Communications, Energy and Paper Workers Union of Canada, CEP, (Mr. Brian Payne, President) represents e.g. workers in UPM and Stora-Enso in Canada. The union supports and the board of the CEP has given a resolution in favor of us and our joint struggle.
- United Steelworkers USW (Mr. Leo W. Gerard, President, Mr. Boyd Young, Executive Vice President) representing e.g. Stora Enso workers in USA is with us.
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters (Mr. James P. Hoffa, General President, Mr. George Tedeschi, President, Graphic Communications Conference) represents e.g. workers in the UPM Blandin and supports us.
- International Union, UAW (Mr. Ron Gettelfinger, President) represents glass workers and is with us in the struggle.
- Plumbers and Pipefitters UA Local 434 (Mr. Todd Bencke, Business Agent) represents e.g. plumber workers in Stora-Enso in America supporting us.
- Local Union 689, CEP (Mr. A.D. Dowling President) represents people from UPM Miramichi and supports, also some individual members of the local have sent their greetings to us.
- USW, Region 9 (Mr. William R. Gibbons, Director) represents e.g. people from Myllykoski Alp, and supports us.
- ICEM, North American Coordinating Committee (Mr. Donald L. Langham, Chair) represents 20 unions and workers from both US and Canada with some 2000 workers from Stora-Enso and Madison, the subsidiary of Myllykoski.
- USW, The Joint Group (Mr. Thomas J. Peplinski, Chair) represents hundreds of workers in Stora Enso.
- USW, Local 7-0009 (Mr. Jeffery Walhouse, President) represents hundreds of workers in Stora-Enso.
- USW, Local 95, Niagara Mill (Mr. Tommy Opolka, Union Representative) represents white collar workers and technical personnel in the Niagara mill of Stora Enso.
- USW, Local 7-1166 (Mr. Doug La Count, President) represents hundreds of workers in the same Niagara mill of Stora-Enso.
- International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1147 (Mr. Joseph Helmuth, President) represents e.g. hundreds of workers in North-America’s Stora Enso.
- SINAP in Brazil (chairman Iduigues Martins) was one of the first to express its support representing e.g. workers of Veracel.
- CUOPYC in Uruguay (Omar Diaz, Secretario General) told us that the press in Uruguay is interested in the Finnish companies and promise its support.
- The Canadian and Brazilian guests in our Congress brought their solidarity messages to us in many ways.
Africa, Asia, Australia
- Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing and Wood and Allied Workers Union of South Africa (Mr. Pasco Dyani, National President) has noticed the brutal activities carried out by the Finnish companies and gives us its support.
- The Japanese Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers’ Union (Mr. Tatsuo Suzuki, President) urges CEO Mr. Poranen, head of the Forestry Industry Federation to start a fair dialogue with the Finnish Paper Workers’ Union.
- ICEM JAF (Mr. Kiyoshi Ochiai, Chairperson) represents an affiliate of ICEM in Japan and urges the Forestry Industry Federation to follow the framework of the general income settlement.
- The Malaysian Paper Workers Union (Mr. Zainol Mat, President) has sent a strong message of support to us and a letter to the CEO Mr. Poranen.
- Bangladesh Chemical Workers’ Federation, BCWF (Mr. Giasuddin Ahmed, General Secretary) gives its support to us and condemn the employer’s proposals
- From Australia we received an interesting proposal for solidarity action, not implemented yet.”
16 June 05 (Thurs)
Thousands of union members who work for Stora Enso and UPM Kymmene in the United States and Canada demonstrate their support for 25,000 locked out workers in Finland.
They wear stickers inside the plant expressing their support of the locked-out workers and take their case to local management. Further local actions are expected if no settlement is reached in Finland.
Members of seven different unions take part, including the Steelworkers (USW), the Teamsters, the CEP in Canada, the Electrical Workers, the Machinists, the Office Employees, and the Plumbers and Pipefitters.
Handbills explaining the situation are distributed at each plant gate, and union members wear stickers inside the plants to make clear their support of their colleagues in Finland.
“We have been letting our local managers know for weeks of our concern over the companies conduct, and this helps take it to the next level,” says Doug LaCount, president of USW Local 7-1166 and head of the Works Council that handles the local unions’ dialogue with workers in Finland.
Stora Enso North America Corporation (USA) - DIV
Stora Enso North America combines the operations of the Port Hawkesbury Mill, Nova Scotia, Canada, with the operations of former Consolidated Papers, Inc., USA. Production capacity of this division represents 17% of Stora Enso’s total paper and board capacity. Together, these operations produce primarily printing and writing papers and coreboard products. The Head of the North America Division is Lars Bengtsson.
Biron Mill
Central Wisconsin, in close proximity to Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
419 employees
Duluth Mills
Duluth, Minnesota
280 employees (includes 40 at Duluth Recycled Pulp Mill)
Kimberly Mill
Kimberly, Wisconsin
630 employees
Niagara Mill
Northern Wisconsin, bordering the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
326 employees
Port Hawkesbury Mill
Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, Canada - 282 km northeast of Halifax
617 employees (550 mill and 67 woodlands)
Stevens Point Mill
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
275 employees
Whiting Mill
2627 Whiting Avenue, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
350 employees
Wis. Rapids Mill
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
750 employees
17 June 05 (Fri)
Employers’ representatives and the Union of Salaried Employees (TU), representing some 5,500 supervisors and office employees at mills reach agreement on new working conditions. PL-CB
20 June 05 (Mon)
Amicus, Great Britain’s largest private sector union, announces its support.
Amicus Assistant General Secretary Tony Burke announces: “Amicus has sent messages of support to the Finnish union. We will now be consulting with Amicus reps in Finnish owned paper mills and paper products companies in the UK as to how best we can now help Paperiilitto win their dispute.”
21 June 05 (Tues)
A new mediation proposal is put forward on Tuesday evening by National Conciliator Juhani Salonius. The union and the management side are to give their answers by 3:00 PM on Thursday, 23 June.
Coming out publicly in favor of proposal is Lauri Ihalainen, President of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK). He urges both sides to accept the proposed settlement. P-U-DN
The FPWU reports that FFIF companies are not aiming to weaken the terms of working and the protection of contracts only in Finland and North America but are involved with similar targets also in Central Europe.
The FPWU reports that, in Germany, paper industry employers are now demanding two extra working hours per week without pay and a possible cut in local salaries by 10 percent.
It says that FFIF companies are the biggest in Europe and it is obvious that they are strongly affecting paper employers’ policies in Germany. The Finnish owned companies in Germany already stand for more than half of the production compared to Finland.
In this situation it is understandable that our brother unions in Europe are greatly concerned about the situation in Finland, where the employers are by lockout pressing on workers to accept serious weakening of terms of working.
The union reports: “Last week our French brother union FILPAC and the ‘Betriebsrat’ in the German Frantschach GmbH (chairman Josef Waldman) gave their support to Finnish locked out workers in Finland.”
Frantschach is a big paper company owned by the multinational Mondi, who also owns a big forest industry enterprise in Siktivkary in Russia.
“The latest message of support came yesterday (20.6.) from the biggest union in the private sector in Great Britain, Amicus (Asst. Gen Secretary Tony Burke, Owen Coop, National Papermaking Officer, Ciaran Naidoo.)
Amicus expresses its support for the Finnish Paper Workers. “The Finnish union is on record as saying it is looking for a fair settlement and to normalize the co-operation with the employers – not to damage the industry”. Amicus stands in the united front with the North American unions, who defend the Finnish Paper Workers’. Concrete actions to help are under planning.
Amicus is also worried about price effects of this shut down resulted and refers to investigation by EMCEF concerning the real purpose of the lockout.
23 June 05 (Thurs)
The FPWU rejects mediation proposal, after the FFIF reports its acceptance of the proposal.
The FFI announces an extension of lockouts to an eighth week, to 15 July.
The proposal contains a few adjustments from the previous one. The union’s representatives have pored over the new initiative from mid-morning.
The Council of Paperiliitto explains its position:
“The proposal includes weakening of contracts, not meant in the general incomes policy frame agreement; nor the proposal is compatible with the targets taken by the Congress of Paperiliitto.
“The proposals concerning outsourcing cause risk to the continuity of jobs. The proposal concerning continuous running of mills is not in balance. The meaning of the important paragraph 11 in our collective agreement would partly lose its meaning if the proposal had been accepted. In converting industry the employer would have the right to use 12 hours working days without overtime compensation.
“The Finnish paper industry is shut down only, because the employer has locked workers outside the mills and does not let them to work. Every day (since 18 May) paper workers have been ready to come to mills to work. They have not demanded that the new agreement should be signed or wages increased.
“But of course our union demands wage increases according to incomes policy settlement and we are ready also to consider different possibilities to press on employers.
“In Canada the Finnish Forest Companies try to worse terms of working compared the local Canadian pattern. In Germany the Finnish forest companies are the most significant ones. There the employer demands workers to work two extra hours a week without salary. Also the employer demands a right to weaken wages locally.
“The Council returns thanks to all sister unions for the magnificent and hearty support, which has helped our members to bear all pressures.
“The Council of Paperiliitto also fully supports sisters and brothers in Canada, Germany and other countries in the struggle for their contract and living.
“Paperiliitto is ready to cooperate with fraternal unions for protecting paper workers with joint strength.”
27 June 05 (Mon)
A fresh round of intensive negotiations gets underway on Monday as Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen urges both sides to seek a speedy resolution to the dispute. A major sticking point remains the use of external labor at paper mills. The FPWU is holding out for strict rules on outsourcing at Finland's paper plants.
ICEM announces its continuing support for the FPWU. ICEM explains that the mediator’s proposal, if accepted, would have given paper companies the unlimited right to outsource work, thus transferring all maintenance, security and cleaning work to non-regular employees. The proposal again rejects Paperiliitto’s compromise on continuous operation of paper mills. In paper converting, companies could schedule 12-hour work-shifts without overtime compensation.
29 June 05 (Wed)
Agreement is reached on a compromise proposal following intense negotiations on Wednesday chaired by State Labour Mediator Juhani Salonius. It is an altered version of the earlier compromise proposal rejected by the union.
The deal still requires both the approval of the FPWU’s executive and FFIF’s ruling body. They will convene on Friday.
The Swedish Graphical Workers’ Union issues blockade warning against handling “contagious goods,” that is, production from Finland that has been “offshored” to Sweden. The blockade is to take effect from Thursday 30 June at 6 pm if an agreement in the Finnish dispute is not reached by then. The blockade will apply to all work with production and printing on corrugated cardboard, etc., to Finland. SA-I
1 July 05 (Fri)
The dispute comes to an end. The FPWU and the FFIF announce their approval of a settlement negotiated on Wednesday. Measures will be taken to resume production at paper mills over the weekend.
The new settlement is based on the proposal made on Tuesday of last week by National Conciliator Juhani Salonius. This proposal has been further adjusted during three days of intensive negotiations conducted at the beginning of this week. SAK President Lauri Ihalainen has been involved in this final stage.
The Delegate Council of the FPWU approves the new deal unanimously at its meeting held this morning and afternoon. The deal covers about 24,000 employees.
The Union Council of Paperiliitto reports:
“The Union Council accepts the bargaining result for the paper industry.
“The Paper Workers’ Union’s Union Council accepts the bargaining result (on the 29th of June 2005) for a new collective agreement of the paper industry. The result as a whole stands near to the income settlement agreed for all other branches in Finland. This has been the goal set by the Paper Workers’ Union already since December.
“In the bargaining result the worsening demands of the employers are rejected: unpaid sick leaves, splitting up holidays, 12 hours working days without overtime pay compensation, as well as making easier to lay off workers. Also in future the acceptance of employees (trade union) is a condition of outsourcing, in the latest phase on the level of the central organizations. The possibility to run mills on Midsummer and Christmas is compensated by a general shorting of working time, which is not depending on realization of running.
“The Paper Workers’ Union looks out for the future and is ready to co-operate with the employers both on a union level and in mills, based on the agreed collective agreement. The importance of the local level will increase and we have together to support the work and skills of the local negotiators. An open minded consideration of problems and looking solutions together with workers would also help our companies to manage globally. The employers say that their targets are achieved. Thus we are looking forward to getting investments to Finland as promised …
“After the lockout in Finland has come to end the action of the Finnish forest Industry in Miramichi, Canada, are a clearly distinguished spot of shame for the Finnish forest industry. We urge the concern management to implement negotiations on an equal basis for a fair and quick solution. It is necessary to take into account the local bargaining praxis, the needs of the small local society and the feelings of workers. The company needs more than only engineering help and know-how there.
“The union must also be prepared for bad options. The Council urges the union management to take into consideration the implications of globalization in struggle for better working conditions. International work and information activities should be strengthened. The readiness of our union to struggle in future against worsening of terms of working has to be maintained. The Council also thanks our united and firm membership for driving us to the acceptable result.
“The support of our brother organizations during our lock out was a great source of power for us. The Paper Workers’ Union will pay its debt of gratitude by supporting brother unions in facing similar problems and by strengthening its solidarity work.”
