Several companies in Finland announce change negotiations affecting employees nationwide

Several companies in Finland announced on Tuesday that they are entering into change negotiations affecting employees nationwide. For instance, healthcare provider Attendo is proposing to cut 250 person-years of work, impacting around 1,800 employees. In the industrial sector, forestry company UPM Fibres reported plans to lay off 110 workers, while steel manufacturer Ovako Imatra is considering reducing its workforce by 70 person-years. Ovako currently employs about 550 people in Imatra, and any potential layoffs would severely affect the local community, according to city council chairman and union representative Ilkka Nokelainen.

“It was indeed a dark Tuesday. It is time for everyone in South Karelia to realize the need for support and leverage to help businesses thrive and continue employing people,” Nokelainen commented. Imatra, located near the Finnish-Russian border, is facing challenges as border closures have halted exports and tourism revenue.

Markku Sippola, a senior lecturer at the University of Helsinki, noted that an influx of bad news can discourage local residents from seeing future opportunities for living and working in the area. This issue is further complicated by the specialized nature of jobs within the industrial sector, making it difficult for workers to find comparable positions even within the same region.

The uncertainty is reflected in the housing market, as noted by Jessica Pesu, sales director at OP Koti South-East Finland. She explained that the location of jobs greatly influences housing decisions, particularly as people contemplate their next steps amid the threat of layoffs.

Although the Finnish economy has faced challenges in recent years, economists believe that labor market conditions may improve next year, offering some hope for the future.