JHL calls strike at Parkkipate on Nov 5-9 demanding collective agreement

The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors-JHL has decided to enforce a strike at parking control company Parkkipate from November 5 to November 9 demanding a collective agreement, said JHL in a press release on Wednesday.

The company does not currently have a collective agreement and has refused to negotiate about making one.

The strike is scheduled to start on 5 November at 00:01 and end on 9 November at 23:59 and apply to all work carried out in the company.

According to JHL, the company is very profitable, but the employees’ terms and conditions of employment are poor.

“A business model cannot be based on wage dumping and employees’ insecurity. We are prepared to negotiate in short order. Now we are forced to a strike because the employer shows no willingness whatsoever to negotiate”, said JHL’s Chief Executive Officer Mari Keturi.

JHL and the employees who are organised into the union demand a collective agreement from Parkkipate and union actives working at Parkkipate handed an appeal for it to the company’s CEO on 7 October.

After the appeal, Parkkipate announced that it is going to slightly increase employees’ pays. The pay increases will not apply to all employees. Furthermore, the company will still not introduce premium pays, which are often agreed in a collective agreement.

The pays will remain low, and a one-time pay increase is not the same as a collective agreement.

“This is the employer’s panic reaction rather than genuine willingness to bargain. With a collective agreement, terms and conditions of employment and pays are improved on a long-term basis and not just once in a decade”, Keturi added.

Trade Union JHL will follow the situation closely and consider further action if needed.