More than 500 planes canceled, buses stopped, schools and factories closed, mail blocked… Since Wednesday January 31, entire sections of the Finnish economy have been on hold, after a call for strike launched by the two trade union confederations, SAK and STTK, against the reform of the labor market and that of social benefits, announced by the right-wing and far-right government coalition, led by the conservative Petteri Orpo.
Thursday 1er February, at least 300,000 Finns went on strike. In Helsinki, thousands of demonstrators converged on Senate Square, in front of the basilica. They booed the Minister of Labor, Arto Satonen (conservative), who came to defend his government’s policy: “For ten years, Finland has not experienced growth and has not created jobs. The number of businesses is decreasing and companies are going bankrupt. Doing nothing is not an option”he insisted.
Finns are protesting against a series of measures, which they believe will restrict their rights and degrade their working conditions. The government plans in particular to limit the exercise of the right to strike, with a law on “peace at work”, which aims to limit work stoppages to twenty-four hours, increase fines for social movements deemed illegal and minimize margins of maneuver of the Mediation Institute, during social conflicts.
“Excessive and unreasonable strikes”
In power since June 2023, the government coalition also wants to increase companies’ room for maneuver in terms of hiring and dismissals. Companies with fewer than 50 employees will no longer be required to rehire an employee dismissed for less than four months to fill their position. One-year employment contracts will be allowed, and companies will be able to negotiate local agreements, without involving unions.
Furthermore, in the event of sick leave, the first day will no longer be paid. Most social benefits will be cut, such as unemployment benefit, housing assistance and parental leave pay. Aid for adult training will be eliminated. According to union calculations, single parents could lose up to 500 euros per month.
Finally, the government wants to align salary increases, regularly negotiated by the social partners, for each branch, with those of exporting industries, which will set a ceiling. For the unions, this is clearly a questioning of the model of social consultation, on which the Finnish labor market is based.
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