The strike to be started today by the trade union of chemical industry workers will put off stream nearly all of Kemira's production units in Finland.
At 14.00 hrs a controlled bringing off stream of production processes will be started. Every effort will be made to secure critical deliveries to customers despite the strike.
In Kemira about 1,700 employees are involved in the strike. At this stage neither Tikkurila nor Kemira Metalkat are within strike limits.
According to the notice about the strike, if an agreement between the parties cannot be reached, the strike limits will be extended on Thursday 23 March 2000 to include the plastics- and chemical products industry. Kemira Metalkat and Tikkurila will be within strike limits at that stage.
The economic losses caused by the strike are at the level of several million Finnish markka per day.