Stoppage of air traffic services to go ahead on Friday 10 March.

The labour dispute with Airpro Oy is ongoing and conditions for a solution have not yet been found. The dispute may be prolonged for some time.

The work stoppage and supporting actions by the Finnish Aviation Union (IAU) will go ahead on Friday 10 March from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The work stoppage will affect ground handling services and security control.

Mediation of the dispute between the IAU and Airport Oy and the Service Sector Employers PALTA has been intensely ongoing. The negotiations, however, were suspended today after noon. The next meeting has been agreed for Monday 13 March 2017 at 10:00 a.m. The negotiations may continue earlier, if the situation changes.

National Conciliator Minna Helle is concerned about the protracted labour dispute. She describes the situation as exceptionally serious.

• Despite serious efforts to resolve the dispute, acceptable conditions for a solution not yet been found. According to the national conciliator, the differences between the parties are so great that no solution for a settlement agreement could be found at this time.
• At the heart of a labour dispute is the question of which collective agreement Airpro should follow for ground handling: Airpro’s company-specific collective agreement as until now or the generally binding collective agreement for air transport services. The dispute is a matter of principle, and is an either-or question for both parties.

Airpro complies with a company-specific collective agreement, which at this time has been agreed with the Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors JHL and the Federation of Salaried Employees PARDIA. Trade Union Pro also joined the collective agreement after approval of a settlement agreement based on proposals from the national conciliator. Up until 31 January 2017 the IAU was also a party to the agreement. The parties to the agreement on air transport services are IAU and PALTA.

IAU has announced a number of work stoppages

IAU’s work stoppage announcements of all functions for Airpro Oy. IAU has declared work stoppages for the following periods:

• Friday, 10 March 2017, from 3:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, 14 March 2017, from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m.
• Friday 17 March 2017, from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Wednesday 22 March 2017, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Thursday 23 March 2017, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Friday 24 March 2017, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Additionally, IAU has announced supporting industrial action on Friday 10 March 2017. According to the notification, IAU’s members will be involved in supporting industrial action as follows:

• From 3.pm. to 7 p.m.HUB logistics Aviation Oy, all operations
• From 3.pm. to 7 p.m.LSG Sky Chefs Finland Oy, all operations
• From 3.pm. to 7 p.m.Aviator Finland Oy, all operations
• From 3.pm. to 7 p.m.Swissport Finland Oy, all operations except for ground equipment maintenance and repair tasks
• From 3.pm. to 7 p.m.RTG Ground Handling Oy, all work for Airport Oy.