Flight or train cancellations, the energy and industrial sector at idle: the mass strike mobilizations against a plan to reform the labor market continue today in Finlandparalyzing everyday life mainly in the country’s capital.

Around 300,000 workers are participating in the protests, which began yesterday, Wednesday, with a strike by preschool workers, according to a count by Finland’s state TV network Yle.

The country’s three largest trade unions, the public sector (JHL), industry (SAK) and services (PAM) have called for a strike.

They have been targeted by a reform plan, presented by the government of conservative Prime Minister Petri Orpo, which envisages a change in the rules regarding collective agreements in order to “boost competitiveness in the long term”.

The government also wants to limit the right to strike, reduce unemployment benefits and introduce a day when workers taking sick leave will not be paid.

Finland is known for its generous social model, which provides a protection and good working conditions for workers.

Seeking to preserve these rights, many unions went on strike causing problems in air transport. Finnair has already announced the cancellation of 550 flights affecting a total of 60,000 passengers yesterday and today.

Furthermore, today no trains run in Finland, which has a population of 5.5 million. In Helsinki, metro, tram and bus services were suspended, according to the JHL union.

Marko Tuuminen, a resident of the capital, appeared unfazed by the problems caused by the protests, which have brought the energy, education, health services, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels and post offices to a standstill.

“They are on strike for the right reasons. The (social) advantages we have gained must be maintained, it is not necessary to weaken them unnecessarily“, he pointed out in his statements to Ilta-Sanomat newspaper this morning.

“The store near my house is open“, he added, expressing his satisfaction as he was able to “walk to work”.

New strike movements

Some schools in the capital implemented remote learning today in the absence of public transport, while a taxi company in the city of Taberna reported an eightfold increase in calls for transport, state TV Yle reported.

Finland’s largest industrial union has announced that it will go on strike again between February 14 and 16, affecting 60,000 workers and bringing a large part of the country’s industries to a standstill.

“The industrial union will continue to (press through) the strike. We will not accept the government demolishing the structures created to protect workers“, he pointed out in a press release.

“Ta government measures have nothing to do with promoting work. It is simply an ideology that business dictates to governing parties».

The cost of the strikes is estimated at around 360 million euros, the confederation of Finnish industries (EK) told AFP.