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15 August, 2005ICEM news release No. 12/2005
The 20-million-member ICEM is asking all its affiliates in the Paper Sector to closely monitor production increases in their respective paper mills and to do all in their power to refuse paper capacity being shifted from mills in Finland. Paper employers there, behind the Finnish Forest Industries Federation, imposed a four-week lockout beginning 18 May on some 25,000 paperworkers of ICEM affiliated union Paperiliitto in a bitter labour dispute.
"We are highly concerned that Finnish paper companies will use this lockout as another retaliatory measure and shift production to their other mills in certain countries, particularly Europe," said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. "We ask our affiliated unions representing workers of these companies to do all in their power to refuse such work."
In the ICEM call to paper union affiliates, the global union federation cited paper companies Stora Enso, UPM Kymmene, M-Real, Metsa Tissue, Ahlstrom and Myllykoski.
In the call to action, the ICEM praises the example set by Svenska Pappers, Sweden's paper union that also is an affiliate. "In support of Paperiliitto, they have declared an overtime ban at the Stora Enso mills in Sweden," the ICEM stated. "The union is also refusing to perform work on production being shifted from Finland. The ICEM encourages paper union affiliates representing workers at these companies to do the same."
The roots of Finland's paper dispute began late last year when the employers' federation pulled out from the national incomes policy agreement. In collective negotiations since, paper companies have proposed harsh concessions, including the right to outsource unlimited work, elimination of mandatory shutdown days at Christmas and mid-summer, and greater flexibility including imposing 12-hour work days on Finnish paperworkers.
Late in March, Paperiliitto began industrial action at paper mills that included a ban on all overtime and short, targeted strikes. Management retaliated by shutting entire paper machines in certain mills, and sending the scheduled work crew home without pay, an action in total contradiction to the positive working culture that is normal in the Nordic industrial sectors. Prior to an announced two-day strike 16-17 May by Paperiliitto, the employers' group said a strike would result in a two-week lockout beginning 18 May. But once the work stoppage began, Finnish paper companies extended the lockout four weeks, or until mid-June.
"We are highly concerned that Finnish paper companies will use this lockout as another retaliatory measure and shift production to their other mills in certain countries, particularly Europe," said ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. "We ask our affiliated unions representing workers of these companies to do all in their power to refuse such work."
In the ICEM call to paper union affiliates, the global union federation cited paper companies Stora Enso, UPM Kymmene, M-Real, Metsa Tissue, Ahlstrom and Myllykoski.
In the call to action, the ICEM praises the example set by Svenska Pappers, Sweden's paper union that also is an affiliate. "In support of Paperiliitto, they have declared an overtime ban at the Stora Enso mills in Sweden," the ICEM stated. "The union is also refusing to perform work on production being shifted from Finland. The ICEM encourages paper union affiliates representing workers at these companies to do the same."
The roots of Finland's paper dispute began late last year when the employers' federation pulled out from the national incomes policy agreement. In collective negotiations since, paper companies have proposed harsh concessions, including the right to outsource unlimited work, elimination of mandatory shutdown days at Christmas and mid-summer, and greater flexibility including imposing 12-hour work days on Finnish paperworkers.
Late in March, Paperiliitto began industrial action at paper mills that included a ban on all overtime and short, targeted strikes. Management retaliated by shutting entire paper machines in certain mills, and sending the scheduled work crew home without pay, an action in total contradiction to the positive working culture that is normal in the Nordic industrial sectors. Prior to an announced two-day strike 16-17 May by Paperiliitto, the employers' group said a strike would result in a two-week lockout beginning 18 May. But once the work stoppage began, Finnish paper companies extended the lockout four weeks, or until mid-June.