Chinese workers at Kotka factory seek repayment of wage deductions

Some Chinese workers at a battery materials factory construction site in Kotka are demanding that temporary staffing company Eezy Sonire repay deductions for meals and accommodation, Yle reports. The largest monthly deductions exceeded 1,600 euros, and the workers say they were not agreed to in writing.

One worker interviewed by Yle said he had not consented to the charges, even verbally. Yle is withholding his name because he fears possible punishment by his employer.

Eezy says its meal and accommodation services are voluntary. However, a review commissioned by Finnish Minerals Group, a part-owner of the factory project company Easpring Finland, found that not all workers had been informed that they could opt out. Eezy did not say whether it would refund the deductions, but its legal director, Ilpo Toivonen, said the company was discussing how to implement the review’s recommendations and would ask workers whether they wished to continue with the arrangements.

Easpring Finland says all employees working on a given day are offered a free lunch, regardless of whether they use the employer-arranged accommodation and meal services.

The review also found that Chinese-owned installation company Jiangsu Installation Finland had failed to pay some wages. The law firm that conducted the review said it had not received complete working-time records despite repeated requests. Jiangsu Installation Finland’s own review of overtime and work on public holidays identified unrecorded hours equivalent to 800 workdays.

The Construction Trade Union says the company has promised to pay for unpaid induction days, but that further payments are still due. The union’s Jussi Sakari said the corrections made so far were insufficient and that no commitment had been made to refund the meal and accommodation deductions. Jiangsu Installation Finland did not respond to Yle’s request for an interview.

One worker is calling for an independent party to calculate the missing payments and oversee their repayment. Easpring Finland says it monitors corrective measures in regular meetings with main contractor China Harbour Engineering Company. Easpring Finland’s commercial director, Vesa Koivisto, said employers were responsible for making corrections and the main contractor for overseeing them, adding that an outside party could be brought in if needed. Finnish Minerals Group also supports independent oversight.

Inspections by the Finnish Licensing and Supervisory Authority have not found problems with the treatment of the Chinese workers.