Walkouts bring postal delays in central and western Finland

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A strike over possible redundancies as a result of mail sorting reforms is underway, and is expected to lengthen delivery times until after the weekend.

A walkout by workers for the national postal operator Itella is underway today, in protest over proposed redundancies at Jyväskylä and Tampere sorting offices.

The industrial action is expected to cause delays to postal deliveries over the coming weekend. Itella says the walkout will lengthen delivery times for letters and parcels in central Finland, Pirkanmaa and Satakunta.

The company denounced the strike action as unlawful.

In Jyväskyla Itella workers began strike action late on Wednesday, while Tampere employees stopped work on Friday morning.

The strikers are protesting against reforms to the mail sorting system, which will be the subject of negotiations between employers and unions at talks in a number of postal depots on August 11th. Possible redundancies have been tabled at Jyväskylä and Seinäjoki sorting offices.