Since 2023, a coalition government including far-right parties has been in power in Finland. Among the measures that the government has taken since then are restrictions to the right to strike, limitations in the role of shop stewards in the workplace, and significant cuts to social security.
The Finnish Government is stripping away the rights of workers to strike in order to push through further cuts in reform packages without the resistance of protests. This damages the fabric of the Finnish labour model and represents a threat to the fundamental rights of all workers.
The Finnish unions are organising active opposition to these measures, including through cross-sectoral strikes. On the 1st of May, Finnish unions will hold a rally to demonstrate their opposition to the measures being implemented by the government.
It is crucial to show support to our Finnish colleagues and the unity of the labour movement in this struggle. We are calling on all ITF members and supporters to sign our petition to the Finnish Government.
----------------------------
Our petition to Prime Minister Petteri Orpo ✍️
We stand in solidarity with our Finland colleagues in opposition to the dangerous and radical moves to undermine the voice of Finnish workers.
Our Finnish colleagues informed us of your government's attack on workers' rights and social security. This represents the most serious threat in the history of the Finnish welfare state.
The Finnish labour market and welfare state are among the most successful globally. At the heart of the Finnish labour model is the tradition of social dialogue between trade unions, employers, and the government, which has led to sectoral negotiations on collective agreements, tripartite negotiations on new legislative proposals and the expansion of the welfare state. This social contract is now being torn apart by your government.
If enacted, these reforms would set the country back decades and take it further away from its Nordic neighbours. Instead of being a world leader, Finland will be viewed as regressive and its claim to moral leadership will be called in to question.
We condemn your plans to start the massive reform package by restricting the right to strike in order to push through the other cuts without any real possibility of protests.
We stand in support of our Finnish colleagues and are prepared to act in solidarity. We strongly urge you to withdraw the proposed changes to the labour law.
In partnership with our affiliated unions in Finland:
- Ammattiliitto Pro
- Auto- ja Kuljetusalan Työntekijäliitto AKT ry
- Ilmailualan Unioni IAU ry
- JHL
- Rautatiealan Unioni RAU ry
- Suomen Konepäällystöliitto
- Suomen Laivanpäällystöliitto ry
- Suomen Merimies-Unioni ry
- Toimihenkilöliitto ERTO ry
300,000 strikers call for no cuts to workers’ rights in Finland
