Amid a challenging scenario in Europe, the paper workers’ union has terminated its collective agreements with UPM Group companies, to expire mid-term on April 21 or 22, 2024, depending on the agreement.
“The decision by the paperworkers’ union to terminate the collective agreements in the middle of the contractual period is regrettable. We had hoped that wage increases and productivity improvements could have been discussed constructively without terminating the agreements. Our aim is to find mutually beneficial solutions without creating unnecessary insecurity” said Jyrki Hollmén, UPM’s Vice President Labor Market, in a statement.
The UPM companies and the paper workers’ union have been negotiating for the last two years of the contract period. So far, negotiations have focused on the objectives of both parties, but the business environment has changed significantly since the agreements were signed in 2022.
According to a statement issued by UPM, the company stresses the importance of setting wage increases in relation to mutually agreed productivity improvements.
“UPM wants to reward good performance. Competitiveness is fundamental to the future of UPM’s business and its continued strengthening is in everyone’s interest,” Hollmén commented.
Negotiations with the paper workers’ union will continue as soon as possible, according to the company. The termination of the collective agreements does not mean that the negotiations have ended.
It should be noted that, according to UPM, the ongoing political strikes in Finland, as in the ports, are not related to the negotiation process between the company and the paper workers’ union.
