political strike YLE and Helsingin Sanomat reported that Friday will continue to disrupt daily life in Finland.
Most subway, tram and rail services will be suspended today due to a one-day strike organized by the Public and Welfare Sector Union (JHL). Finland’s state-owned railway company VR has announced that night trains will continue to operate as usual despite the strike.
Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) announced that only a small portion of its bus services in the capital region will be operational during the strike.
Long-distance bus services are suspended due to a one-day strike by the Transport Workers’ Union (AKT). Matkafuorto and Onnibus have said that some cancellations are inevitable due to the strike, and both companies have promised to provide real-time information on the availability of their services on their websites.
However, services may be canceled or delayed at short notice. Both Matkafuorto and Onnibus have promised to compensate passengers who bought tickets for canceled services.
Air travel has been experiencing widespread disruption since yesterday, including the suspension of operations scheduled by the Finnish Airlines Federation from 2pm to 6pm on Thursday and Friday. Finnair, for example, has reported that the industrial action has significantly complicated its operations, forcing it to cancel around 550 flights scheduled over the next two days.
Typically, most national airlines operate around 280 flights in their daily flight programs.
A strike by transport workers also disrupted the delivery of letters and parcels. Posti estimates that deliveries could be delayed by several days as a result of the strike.
The first in a wide-ranging series of strikes shut down public and private kindergartens across the capital region on Wednesday. Kindergartens will reopen as normal from Friday.
Services Union United (PAM) went on strike on Thursday, forcing many shops, hotels and restaurants to close. These facilities are scheduled to resume regular operations on Friday.
Many production facilities were also closed yesterday due to strikes by the Finnish Industry Union, the Professional Workers Union and the Paper Workers Union. The Confederation of Finnish Industry (EK) estimates that the strike could reduce gross domestic product by around 360 million euros, considering both direct and multiplier effects.
Trade unions have organized an almost unprecedented series of strikes to protest government proposals to reform working life and cut social security benefits.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT