Nokia Could Face Strike Action In Finland On Monday
November 04 2011 - 11:44AM
Dow Jones News
Finnish cellphone maker Nokia Corp. (NOK) could face disruption
from strike action Monday if unions follow through with a threat to
widen their action over stalled wage talks.
Labor unions the Federation of professional and managerial
staff, YTN, and the Association of IT sector employees have been on
strike since Tuesday involving some 10,000 white-collar managerial
employees in about 40 Finnish companies.
Among the companies affected are elevator maker Kone Oyj
(KNEBV.HE), industrial crane maker Konecranes Oyj (KCR1V.HE), steel
firm Rautaruukki Oyj (RTRKS.HE), engine maker Wartsila Oyj
(WRT1V.HE), and Swedish miner Boliden AB's (BOL.SK) Finnish
operations.
If a deal isn't reached by Monday, the strike will widen to
cover about 25,000 white-collar employees, from 0400 GMT, labor
union YTN said. That will include Nokia employees for the first
time.
Nokia, the world's largest handset maker by volumes, has about
18,600 employees in Finland.
Asked about the consequences, Nokia spokesman James Etheridge
said it was too was too early to speculate, but that it wouldn't
affect Nokia's 3,700 production personnel at its mobile handset
manufacturing plant in Salo, Finland.
The unions are demanding compensation for work-related travel
outside of working hours.
The Federation of Finnish Technology Industries condemned the
strike and said it jars with the uncertain and deteriorating
economic outlook.
The YTN union has been operating an overtime ban involving about
200,000 workers since Oct. 4.
-By Arild Moen, Dow Jones Newswires; +358-9-2516 6279;
arild.moen@dowjones.com