Trade Union JHL lends support to the Industrial Union: Members refuse to handle shipments of several companies during a six-day long handling blockade

JHL starts a handling blockade on Monday 27 January. The final day of this industrial action is Saturday 1 February, unless a negotiation result is reached before that.

Trade Union JHL supports the collective agreement negotiations of the Industrial Union and starts a handling blockade to help speed up the negotiations.

The President of the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL, Håkan Ekström, hopes that the Industrial Union’s collective agreement negotiations move forward.

– Inflation has noticeably increased the cost of living after the previous round of collective agreement negotiations. At the same time the Finnish Government’s cutbacks cause financial difficulties for many workers. Businesses cannot make profit without motivated and skilled workforce. It is clear that pay rises are now badly needed, says Ekström.

A handling blockade is lawful industrial action. The blockade concerns agreement sectors for which the Industrial Union has issued a strike warning. JHL’s industrial action will start on Monday 27 January 2025 and end on Saturday 1 February 2025, unless a negotiation result is reached before that.

This industrial action will affect cargo handling for example in ports and rail transport. Employees will not load or unload the products of companies that are subject to the industrial action. Transport sector employees may refuse to transport the goods of these companies.

The Finnish Electrical Workers´ Union (link in Finnish), the Finnish Construction Trade Union (link in Finnish) and Service Union United PAM have also announced their respective plans to take supportive action.

More information: Håkan Ekström, President of JHL, 040 828 286

This article was updated on 31 January 2025: Term “handling embargo” has been replaced with “handling blockade”