Update: 02.03.2023

Transport Workers’ Union (AKT) announced an end to the strike late Wednesday evening after an agreement was reached between the union and port operators.

The two-week strike paralysed the movement of import and export containers at Finnish ports, causing a severe shortage of containers for exports.

Although the union said stevedores would return to work no later than Saturday, Kuehne+Nagel sources estimate the ports will operate normally on Monday, 6 March. Feeder vessel operations are also expected to begin gradually.

Second Update: 24.02.2023

According to Finland's local newspaper Helsinki Times, the stevedores' strikes at Finnish ports are still ongoing and no end date has been set yet.

Ismo Kokko, the chairperson of the Transport Workers’ Union (AKT), announced that negotiations will continue until the union receives an offer that meets the workers' needs.

The office of the national conciliator revealed that bargaining talks will start again on 26 February.

"While stevedores are set to continue their strike at ports indefinitely, strikes in the terminal sector ended yesterday and those in the transport sector on Tuesday," wrote the newspaper.

First Update: 17.02.2023

After labour negotiations failed last week, Finnish dockworkers started a nationwide strike at the ports of Finland on 15 February. The strike is planned to go on until 22 February at 06:00.

The Car and Transport Workers' Union AKT strikes include terminal operations and three areas of road transport. Container traffic at the ports are expected to face major disruption, as well as the movement of cargo on trucks and trailers.

For more information on the strikes and the terminals affected, you can visit the Kuehne+Nagel advisory here.

Original article: 10.02.2023

Negotiations between the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union, AKT, and port operators in Finland have been going on for several weeks in demand for better pay and work conditions.

The latest announcement, however, reveals that talks failed to reach an agreement yesterday and will resume tomorrow. "The port mediation is over from today. It goes to repeat itself, but unfortunately, no progress was made.

We continue tomorrow morning at 9 am," said AKT Chairman, Ismo Kokko, in a tweet yesterday. Previously, the union issued strike warnings for stevedoring and road haulage activities to start as of Wednesday, 15 February at 06:00 am, until further notice if no agreement was reached.

A strike in the terminal operations sector will also begin on 15 February until 22 February, says AKT.

"Salary increases are a question of people's livelihood in a situation where inflation has drastically taken away purchasing power. There are also important qualitative issues in the negotiations," says Kokko.

AKT had already called on its member to stop working overtime in all Finnish ports from 1 February.