The Finnish Industrial Union announced on Thursday that it would go on strike for two days at Neste’s (NESTE.HE) Porvoo oil refinery, effectively shutting down production unless the government agrees to change its proposed labor market reforms.
In recent months, Finnish unions have protested the right-wing government’s plan to favor local work agreements over centralized bargaining, limit political strikes, and make it easier to terminate work contracts.
“We hope that the suspension of oil refining will make the government realize that it cannot put the entire burden of public finances on the shoulders of workers,” shop steward Sami Ryynanen at the Porvoo refinery said in a statement.
The Industrial Union has scheduled a strike at Porvoo for February 1-2, 2024.
“If the strike were to take place, it would lead to the shutdown of Neste’s Porvoo refinery which must be carried out in an orderly and safe manner,” a Neste spokesperson said in an emailed statement.