Finland Transport Strike Ends
Tuesday, January 23, 2001
A deal was reached overnight to end Finland's transport workers' strike, Finnish media reported on Tuesday, ending a brief one-day action which brought port traffic to a virtual standstill, Reuters reported.
At issue was the fate of 33 stevedores let go by top port operator Steveco at the eastern ports of Kotka and Hamina due to decreased workloads, with around 3,500 stevedores at Finland's 20 ports walking out on Monday to protest the firm's decision. Finnish media said the 33 stevedores would receive a training supplement equivalent to 12 months' pay as part of the deal between employers and the Finnish Transport Workers' Union (AKT) brokered by Finnish State Mediator Juhani Salonius.