Foxconn despises the Finnish system

Workers strike to maintain their proper collective agreement

(Helsinki 22.02.2005 - Juhani Artto) In Finland, workers of the Taiwanese owned Foxconn have been in a legal strike since 16th February 2005. By the action they defend their right to apply the plastic industry collective agreement. It has long time been applied in the concerned two factories in Lahti and in Hollola, some 100 kilometers to the North of the capital Helsinki.

More than a year ago the employer began its effort to transfer the workers from the plastic industry collective agreement to the so called technology industry collective agreement. A large majority of the over thousand workers have consistently rejected the employer's demand. In December 2004 the employees demonstrated their will by a 24 hour strike.

Foxconn's motivation for the transfer is obvious. The plastic industry collective agreement guarantees workers higher pay than the technology industry collective agreement. In addition, the technology industry collective agreement allows the employers to use their labour more flexibly than the plastic industry collective agreement.

Read more about the dispute in Trade Union News in Finland.