TU’s Rinne: Black day for the forest industry forces all parties to take responsibility
[10.09.2008]
TU demands that the government use not only the carrot, but also the stick
to make timber move from forests to factories.
Antti Rinne, the President of the Union of Salaried Employees (TU), has come out strongly in his demand for Stora Enso, UPM and the government to underline their support for the over 2,100 employees whose jobs are now threatened. He insists that the government should redouble its efforts to prevent new job cuts in the forest industry.
Rinne urges forest owners to finally take cognizance of their social responsibility and make timber roll from forests to factories.
- This is not the right time to slow down timber sales and try to get new tax breaks, TU's President tells the Central Union of Agricultural Producers and Forest Owners (MTK).
- This is a black day for the Finnish forest industry. It forces UPM andStora Enso to take responsibility for their personnel. The grounds for these planned closures have to be analysed carefully. If studies prove that job cuts can be avoided then jobs must be preserved, Rinne says, following announcements by the forest industry giants that they are about to abolish thousands of jobs in Imatra, Kajaani, Kemi, Valkeakoski and Varkaus.
If jobs are to be lost, the government must take all necessary measures to ensure an effective programme, that assists employees in managing and coming to terms with their changing situations, is in place.
Rinne criticises Stora Enso and UPM for not having the patience to wait for an improvement in the markets. Already, there are signs of improved market conditions, he is quick to add.
- The euro is getting weaker against the dollar. The price of energy is going down. Timber sales have accelerated. If the companies would have waited a while for their competitive edge to improve, grim mass redundancy plans, announced today, would not be needed, Rinne emphasises.
Forest owners and MTK have to take social responsibility
According to Rinne TU has never in the past and will not in today's situation accept, from the government, any efforts to try to avoid taking its full share of responsibility.
- This time ministers cannot hide themselves behind stock exchange legislation. The government has to use the stick, and not only the carrot, to make domestic timber move from forests to factories. New black Wednesdays and mass redundancies have to be prevented, says an adamant Rinne.
UPM and Stora Enso cut thousands of jobs
UPM plans to downsize 1,100 jobs in Finland and 500 abroad.
The company announced on Wednesday the closure of the paper mill in Kajaani and the Tervasaari pulp mill in Valkeakoski. In addition, the company plans to cut possibly even 950 jobs in the administration sector and other units. In 2009-2010 these measures will lead to 1,600 job losses.
Stora Enso announced on Wednesday its plan to reduce
its personnel in Finland by 550 employees. . The company
will slash 600 jobs in Germany, along with 400 wood procurement positions
in Russia and 150 in other countries.
Viimeksi muokattu: 12.09.2008
[Kerro kaverille]
