Strikes at Finnish breweries to ‘impact’ trade
Strike action affecting three of Finland’s major breweries, involving nearly 1,000 workers, will take place this week.
The industrial action organised by the Finnish Food Workers’ Union (SEL) will include the breweries of Hartwall, Olvi and Sinebrychoff and will continue until 28 March.
National conciliator Janne Metsämäki told local reports that no agreement was reached during the weekend’s mediation efforts.
According to SEL chair Veli-Matti Kuntonen, further mediation will continue this week and, even though the breweries have reassured that beer will not run out, the effects of the strike will still be visible.
Speaking to local press, Kuntonen explained: “The strike will undoubtedly have an impact, but it is difficult to predict how well companies have prepared in advance.”
The dispute is part of negotiations over collective agreements for workers across the bakery, meat, dairy, food manufacturing and beverage industries.
Metsämäki explained that two settlement proposals had already been proffered, the latest of which was rejected by SEL’s union council despite the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation (ETL) having been prepared to accept it.
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Workers from Hartwall in Lahti, Olvi in Iisalmi, and Sinebrychoff in Kerava will all take part in the strike which also reportedly covers Hartwall’s warehouse in Tattariharju, Helsinki, and Sinebrychoff’s equipment services in Kerava.
The breweries involved produce some of Finland’s best-known beers such as the Olvi, Sandels, Karhu, and Koff brands.
Negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing since early February with the main point of contention concerning working hours and wages. The SEL union has also argued the most recent proposal still significantly weakened current working time arrangements.
Breweries have said consumers will not face immediate shortages since each have increased production and stockpiled in advance. Hartwall, Olvi, and Sinebrychoff all confirmed beer would continue to flow throughout the strikes.
Despite this, Suomen Osuuskauppojen Keskuskunta (SOK), the central organisation behind Finland’s retailer S Group’s head of grocery trade Sampo Päällysaho went so far as to warn that even though “the stores have been stocked extensively, still, if the strike lasts several days, shortages in some items could occur”.
Petri Miettinen, manager of K-Supermarket Tripla in Helsinki reminded that beers are space-consuming and not easy to keep in stock for a whole week.
Additionally, Miettinen told the Helsinki Times: “We usually receive deliveries from the major breweries three times a week. One load is meant to cover only a few days. What runs out depends on the shop. In some places, it might be water. In others, beer.”
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