Trade Union JHL shows its solidarity to the Industrial Union again: the fifth handling blockade is going to start on 24 February

The collective agreement negotiations of the Industrial Union remain stuck. The negotiations have been going on for months, but there is still no sign of an agreement that the employees could accept.

– JHL continues its handling blockades for a very simple reason: the pay rises that have been proposed so far are simply too low. Inflation has taken a heavy toll on purchasing power in the recent years. This situation calls for pay rises that truly mend the drop in purchasing power, says the President of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL, Håkan Ekström.

A handling blockade is lawful industrial action. The blockade concerns agreement sectors for which the Industrial Union has issued a strike warning. A detailed list of the targets of this handling blockade is at the end of this text.

JHL’s industrial action will start on Monday 24 February 2025 and end on Friday 28 February 2025, unless a result is reached in the negotiations before that.

This handling blockade is the fifth in JHL’s series of solidarity action for industrial employees. The first handling blockade started in late January, and since then, blockades have been organised every week.

This industrial action will affect cargo handling for example in ports and rail transport. Employees will not load or unload the products of companies that are subject to the industrial action. Transport sector employees may refuse to transport the goods of these companies.

In addition to Trade Union JHL, support measures have also been organised by the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union AKT, the Finnish Seafarers’ Union, Service Union United PAM, the Finnish Construction Trade Union, and the Finnish Electrical Workers´ Union.

More information:

Håkan Ekström, President of JHL, 040 828 2865

Targets of the handling blockade on Mon 24 Feb – Fri 28 Feb

The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL has decided to start a handling blockade on Monday 24 February 2025. The employees who participate in the handling blockade will decline to handle the goods or cargo of the following enterprises or operators:

Handling blockade in VR Transpoint’s and North Rail Ltd’s sphere of operations

The employees who participate in the handling blockade will decline to handle the goods or cargo of the following enterprises or operators:

• Boliden Kokkola Oy
• Meyer Turku Oy
• Norilsk Nickel Harjavalta Oy
• Outokumpu Stainless Oy
• Ponsse Oyj
• SSAB Europe Oy
• STR Tecoil Oy
• Terrafame Oy
• Valtra Oy Ab

Handling blockade in ports

The handling blockade concerns the goods and cargo of these companies in all ports, port companies and port service companies in Finland:

• Borealis Polymers Oy
• Bronto Skylift Oy Ab
• Ekeri Oy
• Linde Gas Oy Ab