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Strikes shut down UPM pulp and paper plants in Finland -Breaking

by Mike Robinson

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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Magazine paper rolls are seen at UPM-Kymmene’s paper mill in Kaukas, Lappeenranta, Finland March 9 2016. Reuters/Jussi Rosendahl

HELSINKI, (Reuters) – Some 3,000 employees at Finnish forestry company UPM were on strike Saturday. The strikes resulted in the closure of plants.

Three unions representing paper workers and managerial staff, as well as electricians, had warned that they might strike if there was no agreement on working conditions and wages before Dec. 31, which ended the existing agreement.

UPM and other forest employers quit collective bargaining one year ago. The industry wanted to increase profitability, so it sought alternative methods to reach an agreement on working conditions.

UPM workers demanded a comprehensive labour agreement be signed by the company. The company, however has been pushing for company-specific agreements. It also signed such agreements with its plywood- and timber-divisons.

UPM employees in UPM’s paper, pulp and biofuels business have indicated that UPM is attempting to dictate terms instead of bargaining.

Unless an agreement can be reached, the strike will close on January 22.

Antti Viljakainen, an Inderes analyst, stated earlier to Reuters UPM that the costs could be twice the amount of the previous strike in 2020 which cost 30 million euros ($34million).

Stora Enso, a rival UPM (OTC): has entered into a comprehensive company agreement with workers’ unions.

($1 = 0.8797 euros)

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