A two-day strike will halt production at Finnish paper and pulp mills from Monday after the latest round of talks between employers and unions failed, officials said Saturday. National arbitrator Juhani Salonius abandoned efforts to clinch a deal between the Finnish Paper workers' Union and the Finnish Forest Industries Federation. "The parties were too far apart," Salonius told public broadcaster YLE, adding he had invited the parties to a new round of talks on Tuesday. Due to technical reasons, the shutdown of machinery at pulp mills will begin on Sunday evening, DPA reported. The Finnish forestry industry estimated that the strike would cost 40 million euros (50 million dollars) per day. The employers' have also threatened to issue a two-week lockout as of Wednesday. The disagreement centered mainly on the employers' demands concerning the use of outside labor, as well as work hours. The employers want paper mills to remain open during Christmas and Midsummer holidays, adding seven work days. An earlier proposal from the employers also angered unions. Under the proposal, the first two days of sick leave would be unpaid. The Swedish Paper workers' Union announced they would refuse to work overtime in sympathy with their Finnish counterparts during the two-day strike. The chemical industry and sawmills were also likely to be affected, since their production is closely linked to the paper and pulp industry.
