Posti labour dispute: "We'll never forgive management"

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The labour dispute at the Finnish postal carrier service Posti has intensified, despite the efforts of an appointed state conciliator. The problem began when contract workers were required to train their lease contract replacements as part of their job requirement.

http://img.yle.fi/uutiset/kotimaa/article8452244.ece/ALTERNATES/w960/LKS%204.11.2015%20posti%20postikeskus%20vuokraty%C3%B6 Workplace tension at the Finland’s leading parcel and postal service provider Posti continues into its second week, and instead of finding an accord, it seems the employer representatives and the employees are still farther apart. Negotiations in the last few days have cleared a few smaller matters from the table, but many of the larger controversial issues are still unresolved. One of the thorniest issues is the terms of the so-called ‘change security’ employees offer their employees in case they are made redundant.

"The dispute is at a very difficult stage. Several things are unresolved," said an employer representative to the talks, Executive Vice-President Tuomas Aarto of the service sector employers’ organisation Palta.

Posti employees are concerned about a new development, whereby several Posti locations have asked their contract workers to leave if they will not provide training to temp firm SOL’s lease contract employees which the employer has arranged to replace workers during the strike. The mail services trade union PAU says the case is unprecedented.

"People who have worked for Posti for 40 years have said they have never encountered such a poor personnel policy," said PAU’s Chair Heidi Nieminen.

Nieminen said the atmosphere at Posti is very tense, citing a number of messages she has received from the field.

"The common sentiment is they'll never forgive the current management for what they’ve done," she says.

Strikes start Thursday if negotiations fail

Palta’s Aarto is surprised to hear allegations of strained feelings at work, saying that work has continued as normal in the majority of Posti locations.

Aarto says the employee union is also exaggerating the impact the proposed contract changes will have on workers’ conditions.

A massive series of industrial action threatens Posti next week if the conciliation negotiations produce no result. The first strikes would begin in certain areas in the afternoon of Thursday, November 19.

The transport unions of the country’s largest blue-collar labour confederation SAK have already indicated that they would be prepared to support the Posti employee strike with sympathy labour action. The transport unions have not yet announced when and if they would potentially strike.

After meeting with the disputing parties Friday morning, national conciliator Minna Helle will decide whether it is necessary to continue the negotiations over the weekend.