Small business owner Sakari Laukkanen forced to pause work due to strikes, encourages others to join in.

Sakari Laukkanen hopes for equal participation from everyone in the savings talks. The impact of long-lasting strikes is starting to show in the activities of entrepreneurs. Laukkanen, the entrepreneur of Teippar, an advertising factory that manufactures industrial signs in Kemi, issued a layoff warning to the entire staff on Friday. He estimates that two or three out of a workforce of eight may have to be laid off. The strikes, planned for two weeks, are now set to last at least four weeks, until April 7.

The strikes are a response to government reforms that weaken employees’ strike opportunities and oppose cuts in social security and the increase of workplace-specific agreements. At Mainostehdas Teippari, the strikes have led to order cancellations and delays in material delivery, affecting the company’s majority of industrial customers. Laukkanen compares the situation to the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020.

The strike has caused delays in material delivery and production equipment ordered from Asia is stuck in the port. Laukkanen feels that strikes against a democratically elected government are not the solution, and hopes for an end to the strikes. He stresses the need for all stakeholders to participate in discussions about fixing the economy. If the strikes continue, the costs could be significant.

Laukkanen hopes for concrete suggestions from the employee’s side on how to handle the situation. He emphasizes that all parties should engage in dialogue to bring an end to the strikes. The impact of the strikes on businesses like Teippar is significant, and Laukkanen hopes for a resolution to avoid further layoffs.