Finland Times

Dismissal of ABB Pitäjänmäki plant’s chief shop steward has resulted in a massive walkout of factory workers of about 10 companies across the country.

 

On Friday, about 50 employees of ABB Helsinki plant participated in the walkout, joining other Finnish Metalworkers’ Union members countrywide.

 

In addition to ABB Helsinki plant, metal workers from Helsinki Shipyard, AGCO Power, Sandvik plant in Tampere, Transtech in Kajaani, Outokumpu in Tornio, and SSAB plant in Raahe as well as workers from the elevator company Hissi in Hyvinkää took part in the walkout.

 

ABB Pitäjänmäki plant workers who had walked out of the factory, however, returned to work on Friday.

 

According to ABB, the chief shop steward was dismissed for a number of reasons including lending workers’ representative support to illegal strikes.

 

The dismissal of the Pitäjänmäki plant chief shop steward is likely to affect the activities of the working group involved in labour market reform negotiations.

 

Earlier, in the beginning of the week, Finnish Metalworkers’ Union Chair Riku Aalto left the negotiations. On Friday, he confirmed that he will not go back to the negotiation table, at least not in the remaining part of the year.

 

The union will review the situation early next year.