Private care sector strike in Finland is poised to escalate as two major unions have issued fresh notices, signaling a three-day work stoppage in March amid ongoing pay disputes. The action is scheduled from 10 to 12 March and follows last week’s walkout that disrupted care homes in the north. Negotiations under the national conciliator are continuing but have yet to yield an agreement.
The Public and Welfare Sectors Union JHL confirmed on Monday that it had filed its third strike notice in the protracted effort to secure a new collective agreement for private social services. The stoppage will begin at 00.01 on 10 March and end at 23.59 on 12 March.
The strike will encompass all work within member companies of the employers’ association Hyvinvointiala Hali nationwide. JHL clarified that the action covers all shifts starting during the three-day period. The union has also sustained a temporary ban on shift transfers for members in Hali companies. This ban remains active until the industrial action concludes or the union announces otherwise, meaning union members may only switch shifts as overtime.
The strike may be called off if the parties reach a negotiated settlement before 10 March. JHL had previously announced a second wave of industrial action from 3 to 5 March. The first strike occurred last week.
The Finnish Union of Practical Nurses SuPer, part of the Sote umbrella organisation, reported that approximately 50 private social service workplaces will be affected. The action specifically targets units operated by Attendo, Esperi, and Mehiläinen across Finland. Lapland and North Ostrobothnia are excluded from this round, as those regions experienced last week’s three-day walkout.
The dispute underscores the continuing tension between private care workers and employers over pay conditions and collective agreements. For residents and families relying on private social services, the strikes highlight ongoing uncertainties in staffing and service availability.
