Nuclear & Hydro Workers To Strike On Labour Market Reforms

Workers in the Finnish Electrical Workers' Union (Sähköliitto) will strike from 14-16 Feb at nuclear and hydroelectric plants to oppose PM Petteri Orpo's planned labour market reforms. The head of the union Sauli Vantti told Reuters that "This political industrial action is meant to be a clear warning to the Finnish government that now is the time to begin negotiations,"

• Workers at different plants will go on strike on different days, in what Vantti says is an effort to avoid disruptions to the Finnish power supply (a combined 52% of which came from nuclear and hydroelectric in 2020).
• A spox for nuclear power company TVO statedthat "At the moment...we do not have a complete guarantee that electricity production would be able to continue in all situations. For example, some kind of disruption could lead to a production shutdown,"
• The power plant industrial action is the latest the series of strikes across numerous sectors that has hit Finland in recent weeks. The proposals, intended the gov't says to create an "export-driven labour market model" in order to enhance competitiveness, include changing rules to collective bargaining agreements, cutting earnings-related unemployment benefits, and restrictions on industrial action.
• The proposals drew ire from unions and leftist parties when announced in mid-2023 after Orpo's right-wing coalition ousted PM Sanna Marin's left-wing bloc in the spring election. The gov't holds 109 seats to the opposition's 91 meaning the reforms should pass comfortably, barring any intra-gov't conflict.