On 22 January 2001, Finnish cargo ports were hit by a strike called by the Finnish Transport Workers' Union (Auto- ja Kuljetusalan Työntekijäliitto, AKT), in a dispute over redundancies among dockers at the Steveco port operating company. After one day of strike action, a settlement was reached through conciliation, whereby the pay of the redundant workers was guaranteed for 12 months. In addition, AKT has agreed to sign up to the national incomes policy agreement for the next two years.
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On 22 January 2001, Finnish cargo ports were hit by a strike called by the Finnish Transport Workers' Union (Auto- ja Kuljetusalan Työntekijäliitto, AKT), in a dispute over redundancies among dockers at the Steveco port operating company. After one day of strike action, a settlement was reached through conciliation, whereby the pay of the redundant workers was guaranteed for 12 months. In addition, AKT has agreed to sign up to the national incomes policy agreement for the next two years.
On 22 January 2001, the Finnish Transport Workers' Union (Auto- ja Kuljetusalan Työntekijäliitto, AKT) ,which is affliated to the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (Suomen Ammattiliittojen Keskusjärjestö, SAK). called a strike of dockers which brought alll Finnish cargo ports to a standstill. The immediate background to the dispute was that in summer 2000 the Steveco port operating company, operating in Kotka and Hamina ports, made 130 permanent dockers redundant. It justified this move by referring to its poor financial results. Some of the redundant workers obtained jobs elsewhere, or were near pensionable age, but 33 were left without work. AKT accused the employer of replacing the redundant workers with temporary staff. Attempts to resolve the dispute locally ended without a result and AKT thus called the national strike
Behind the dispute lies trade union concern over the employment security of all dockers. The chair of AKT, Kauko Lehikoinen, claimed that the new mode of operation introduced by Steveco puts the job security of every docker in danger. Harri Tuulensuu, managing director of the dock employers' body, the Federation of Finnish Master Stevedores (Suomen Lastauttajain Liitto, SLL), which is affiliated to the Confederation of Finnish Industry and Employers (Teollisuuden ja Työnantajain Keskusliitto, TT), stated that the strike was disproportionate and illegal.
After the strike broke out, the dispute was referred to the national conciliator, Juhani Salonius, for settlement. He brokered a solution which ended the strike after one day, guaranteeing the dismissed dockers a salary for 12 months in the form of an educational grant. AKT, for its part, agreed to join the current national incomes policy agreement, which it had earlier rejected, through an agreement covering the next two years. In line with the national incomes policy deal (FI0012170F), the new agreement provides for an increase in labour costs of 3.1% in 2001 and 2.3% in 2002.
Eurofound doporučuje citovat tuto publikaci následujícím způsobem.
Eurofound (2001), Strike closes cargo ports, article.
