JHL’s political strike is expanding around Finland: dramatic decrease in commuter traffic, train traffic will stop, power plants will be shut down, three-day strike within early childhood education and care

During week 7, the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL will continue the political strikes opposing the Government’s working life weakenings. There is a large number of strike locations, and the impacts of the strikes can be witnessed around Finland. A list of all the strike locations is at the end of the press release. Other trade unions, too, will be involved in the strikes.

The strike will in practice stop Finland’s entire train traffic because other rail sector unions are participating, too. The rail sector strike will last the entire day on Monday 12 February.

The strike will hit local traffic in Helsinki, Turku and Tampere on Wednesday 14 February and Thursday 15 February 2024. The strike will stop tram and metro traffic entirely. It will also have an extensive impact on bus services.

In the energy sector, JHL and other trade unions are organising a strike that will stop electricity production in several power plants on 14–16 February 2024. JHL’s strike concerns Kuopion Energia Oy, Enersense IN Oy (Helen Oy’s functions) and Helen Oy.

District heat is produced in so-called peak-load heating plants, so it is possible to supply customers with district heat also during the strike. During the strike in Kuopion Energia, one Haapaniemi power plant will be left in stand-by mode, and the other will be wound down entirely. Work tasks that must be performed in order to protect people's life, health or property are ruled out of the strike.

Day care centres and other early childhood education and care will be shut down for three days in several municipalities between Tuesday and Thursday, 13–15 February. The strike applies to both public and private early childhood education and care in these municipalities: Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, Kauniainen, Vaasa, Mustasaari, Rovaniemi, Tampere, Jyväskylä, Kuopio, Joensuu, Oulu, Turku and Pori. All forms of early childhood education and care will be involved in the strike. In practice, the strike will shut down the majority of day care centres in the strike cities. Family day carers, too, will be striking. In addition, all work tasks provided by personnel services provider Seure within early childhood education and care will be on strike.

Furthermore, companies and enterprises responsible for the cities’ catering and facility services will be striking. Palvelukeskus Helsinki, Vantti from Vantaa, Espoon Catering, Lööki from Oulu, Jyväskylän Kylänkattaus, Voimia from Pirkanmaa, Tampereen infra, Tampereen tilapalvelut, Servica which operates in Eastern Finland, Kaarea which operates in Southwest Finland and Polkka – Pohjois-Karjalan tukipalvelut Oy will be involved in the strike. With regard to catering services, the strike only applies to food cooked for early childhood education and care.

Trade Union JHL is continuing its strikes because the Government is still intending to break Finnish people’s right to strike and bring misery to working life. The worst cuts may be yet to come, JHL President Håkan Ekström reminds.

– There has been increasing talk in public about the Government’s new plans related to cuts. We are forced to make our voice heard so that the Government would start to negotiate on the reforms. Otherwise, regular employees will be facing very tough times.

JHL’s strikes are a part of central organisation SAK’s Serious Grounds campaign. The campaign opposes the Government’s unfair policy.