Employee unions will organise a demonstration in central Helsinki leading to a series of widespread de facto strikes on Friday, September 18 to protest government cuts to pay packets mainly affecting lower income workers. On that day many basic services will be either disrupted or cancelled entirely. The protest officially lasts from 11 am to 1 pm, but many services will be in standstill for the entire day.
In particular public transport including local and long-distance buses, trams and the Helsinki metro will effectively be shut down for the entire day starting at 11 am at latest.
Buses will not run from 3 am Friday to 3 am Saturday. Local and long-distance trains will not operate between 6 am and 6 pm. You can follow HSL's releases on the stoppage here.
On Friday HSL said that it was able to provide limited service on some bus routes in Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa and on some regional routes. Check here for the full list of available bus services.
All of Helsinki's 1,350 taxis will operate normally during the demonstration, but no more taxi ride pre-orders can be placed due to excess demand. The Kutsuplus on-demand minibus service will also operate.
Domestic and international air travel will halt or be disrupted from 11 am to 1 pm as on-board flight attendants join the stoppage and planes will not be maintained or fuelled due to the Transport Workers' Union's (AKT) involvement in the demonstration.
Many shops are also expected to close their doors for the duration of the de facto strike, as their employees march out in protest. Kesko or K-Group Citymarket shops were the first to announce their intention to join the de facto strike, having already staged a walkout a week before. Alko shops will also be closed from 11 am to 1 pm.
Pharmacies will remain open.
Many though not all schools and daycare centres will keep their doors open. Schoolteachers, daycare workers and university teachers are technically obliged to observe the so-called industrial peace, but cannot be punished for joining a walkout. High school matriculation examinations to be held on Friday will be organised without disruption.
Minimal disruptions to social work and public healthcare may also occur; the employee organisations Tehy and Super say that healthcare must not bear the brunt of the demonstration.
Many postal services will be disrupted, with pension organisation Kela saying that there may be delays in aid payments.
Police are also taking part in the demonstration, but only passport handling will experience a drop in service.
Other workers and sectors involved in the demonstration are government employees, senior executives, harbour and freight traffic and the paper, wood, metal, construction and electrical industries.
Emergency work not affected
Services that are counted as emergency work will not be involved in the de facto strike. These include surgery units and similar medical services, units providing electricity and heat, the President's office, medical transport, police work, defence, border control, nuclear power plant security and the prison system.
