Tens of thousands affected by Finnish bus strike

A wildcat strike by 1,300 bus drivers in the southern region of Finland around the capital Helsinki has spread to five other towns and cities, threatening the current round of collective wage talks between central unions and employers organisations.

The strike, which began on Tuesday in the cities of Espoo and Vantaa and also partly affected the capital Helsinki, forced tens of thousands of commuters and school children to find alternative means of transport.

Hundreds more drivers walked off the job in Jyvaskyla, Kuopio, Lahti, Oulu and Pori – in southern and central Finland – to protest bus company policies, including increasing the amount of part-time work.