Finland hit by indefinite strike

The Transport Workers’ Union (AKT) goes on strike today at 6 p.m. It threatens to stop bus traffic, halt goods transport and close ports.
Two-thirds of long-distance buses and around the same percentage of capital city bus transport will grind to a halt. About 80 percent of garbage collection will cease, while plane fuelling will also be disrupted. There’s been no end date announced for the strike - it will last until further notice.
A port stoppage by stevedores scheduled for Thursday (March 4) may bring foreign trade to a halt. After a few days, shortages could be seen in grocery stores.
The union and employers are locked in a dispute over wages. The drivers are seeking a two-year contract that includes the average pay increase awarded to industrial workers as a whole, plus a 4.5 percent raise on top, the industry federation said on its Web site.
Port workers, who belong to the same union as the drivers, disagree with the employers over job guarantees.