Strikes shut down UPM pulp and paper plants in Finland By Reuters

HELSINKI (Reuters) – Some 3,000 staff at Finnish forestry group UPM went on strike on Saturday, shutting vegetation, the corporate mentioned on Saturday.

Three unions representing paper staff, managerial employees and electricians had beforehand warned they might strike if a brand new settlement about wages and dealing situations was not reached earlier than the earlier settlement ended on Dec. 31.

UPM stop collective bargaining a 12 months in the past along with different forestry employers, saying the trade needs to enhance profitability by in search of alternative routes to agree on wages and dealing situations.

Whereas staff have demanded UPM indicators a company-wide labour settlement, the corporate has pushed for business-specific agreements and signed them with its plywood and timber divisions.

Employees in UPM’s pulp, paper and biofuels companies have mentioned UPM needs to dictate new situations as an alternative of negotiating, the three commerce unions have acknowledged.

The strike will finish on Jan. 22 except an settlement is reached earlier than that, the commerce unions beforehand mentioned in separate statements.

Inderes analyst Antti Viljakainen earlier advised Reuters UPM might count on the price to be no less than twice as huge because the 30 million euros ($34 million) brought on by a earlier strike in 2020.

UPM rival Stora Enso (OTC:) has signed a company-wide settlement with the employees’ unions.

($1 = 0.8797 euros)