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Baggage Handlers' Walkout Ends in Helsinki

The walkout by disgruntled baggage handlers at the Helsinki Airport did not significantly impact flights from Terminal 1. Nearly all of the employees who staged the walkout on Monday evening returned to work Tuesday morning.

Matkatavararöykkiö Helsinki-Vantaan lentokentällä.
Image: YLE

No flights were cancelled as a result of the walkout. Supervisors managed to handle baggage loading and unloading without too much trouble, because January is a slow season for travel and the volume of luggage is not so great.

The job action initially involved 20 employees of ISS Aviation, which handles luggage for Blue1, Lufthansa, SAS and other airlines.

Dispute Over Outsourcing Details

Kristiina Björkman, deputy shop steward at ISS Aviation, says the walkout related to an outsourcing deal that ISS Aviation signed in late November with ADI Oy.

The first ADI employees began work on Monday. Björkman says they were given more hours than was agreed, which spurred the walkout.

The airport operator Finavia said that departing passengers should arrive at the airport as usual. It notes that departure and arrival times can be checked in real time on its website, finavia.fi.

In December, Finnair sold its baggage handling operations to the human resources firm Barona despite objections by employees and their union. This sparked a walkout and caused a mountain of luggage to accumulate at the airport.

The airline says the four-day walkout cost it around seven million euros.

Sources: YLE