Nordec Group Oy press release 29.5.2024 09.00 UTC+3 Nordec Oy and Olvi plc have signed an agreement on 14.3.2024 on the construction of the steel frame of a new warehouse building in Olvi plc's Iisalmi mill area. This is a significant project to build a new automated high-bay warehouse with an area of 3160 square metres and a height of 30 metres The project, titled "Olvi plc, high bay warehouse, Iisalmi", is designed to meet Olvi plc's growing warehousing needs and streamline logistics processes. Iida-Maria Honkanen from Insinööritoimisto Savolainen Oy has been responsible for architectural design, and Nordec will be responsible for the design, manufacture, and installation of the steel frame of the building. The new warehouse building is located at Olvitie I-IV, 74100 Iisalmi, Finland, and it will be a significant addition to Olvi plc's supply chain capacity. Construction work has just begun on the site, and Nordec's project is planned to be completed at the end of summer 2024. This investment demonstrates Olvi plc's commitment to the development of the region and the utilisation of innovative solutions. Jaakko Köninki, Nordec Oy, Commercial Development Manager, jaakko.koninki@nordec.com, tel. +358 50 559 7129 Nordec Group Oy is the leading supplier of steel frame structures, façade solutions and bridges for construction projects in the Nordic countries and has a strong position in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries of Poland, Lithuania, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The company has long experience in the design, manufacture and installation of frame structures, facades and bridges. Nordec's main raw material is steel. The service offering includes single-storey buildings, multi-storey buildings, heavy industry buildings, bridges and façade structures. Nordec's net sales for the financial year ended 31.12.2023 were EUR 329.2 million and adjusted EBITDA EUR 27.0 million. Further information about Nordec is available on the company's website at www.nordec.com. beer supplies unlikely to run outThe strike's effects will be visible though less immediately than in industries dealing with perishable goods said the chair of the Finnish Food Workers' Union (SEL) Rows of Olvi beer cans at the company's brewery in Iisalmi 11:22A strike affecting Finland's major breweries — Hartwall Olvi and Sinebrychoff — begins at 9 pm on Sunday organised by the Finnish Food Workers' Union (SEL) National conciliator Janne Metsämäki confirmed that no agreement was reached in mediation efforts on Saturday According to SEL chair Veli-Matti Kuntonen negotiations will not resume until early next week with further mediation expected on Monday at the earliest major breweries have stated that beer supplies in stores will not run out Kuntonen stated that the effects of the strike will still be visible "The strike will undoubtedly have an impact but it is difficult to predict how well companies have prepared in advance," he said The dispute is part of broader negotiations over collective agreements for workers in the bakery food manufacturing and beverage industries Metsämäki had previously presented two settlement proposals the latest of which was rejected unanimously by SEL's union council on Thursday while the Finnish Food and Drink Industries' Federation (ETL) was prepared to accept it SEL has also issued a strike warning affecting around 4,000 food sector workers at 13 workplaces The affected companies include food processing firms Atria it will start on 25 March and last for three days this small yellow wooden cabin down by the water is actually a restaurant named Kuappi A sign out front proudly declares it as the smallest restaurant in the world A few restaurants around the world claim to be the world's smallest, but this tiny establishment in Iisalmi, Finland, is a Guinness World Record holder, and unique among contenders for being the only one in a self-contained building. The dining room takes up less than half of the cabin's 86 square feet (8 square meters), and can only fit two guests. The entire restaurant consists of a tiny kitchen, table, two chairs, bathroom, and a small terrace that (weather permitting) can sit another two guests. Despite the small size, there's still a full bar, but in order to fit it in the cabin all the alcohol is kept in mini-bottles.  Because of the restaurant's very limited space, you'll need to reserve a table in advance. But once you get there you can be sure that the one and only table in Kuappi is yours. Restaurant Kuappi is located in the town of Iisalmi, Finland. You will find it down by the water just a few blocks away from the main street and the shopping center. Make sure to make a reservation in advance. Get to know the plant-based fare of Chinese Buddhist monks. The only Kurdish restaurant in Japan invites you to learn and feast. Just outside Chicago, one of the few traditional Mongolian restaurants in the U.S. serves a misunderstood cuisine. This modern tandoor eatery was once a canteen for Soviet farmers. This Oaxacan restaurant serves native corn and Indigenous recipes. This "volcanic all-day restaurant" is right on the beach. Eat like a "buckaroo" at this remote restaurant. Your browser does not support all the necessary functions. Please update your browser to its latest version to ensure the best user experience. From 29 July, we will also be offering bus connections on some of our railcar routes to improve travel comfort. Railcars are used on non-electrified railway sections, which are unsuitable for electric trains. Railcars run on the routes Pieksämäki–Joensuu–Nurmes, Iisalmi–Ylivieska, Savonlinna–Parikkala, Tampere–Keuruu and Jyväskylä–Seinäjoki. For now, there is still a railcar running between Iisalmi and Ylivieska, even though the railway section is now electrified. There is limited space on board the railcar, and booking a specific seat is not possible. Previously, if a lot of tickets were booked for a railcar service, a bus was ordered in addition to the railcar, but information about this was not shown on our customers’ tickets. This led to confusion at the station when, despite the passenger having booked a ticket for the railcar, they were instructed to board a bus. However, the railcar may sometimes be sold out and there is no bus connection available. In these situations, you can buy a ticket for the next available service. To improve travel comfort and safety, a maximum of two bikes can be transported on a railcar from 29 July. The Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s Espoo Rail Line project will cause changes in train traffic between Helsinki and Turku, starting from May 2025. From Monday, 23 June to Sunday, 27 July 2025, there will be a traffic interruption between Helsinki and Karjaa. Trains between Karjaa and Turku will run at longer intervals. Due to the Finnish Transport Infrastructure Agency’s Helsinki–Riihimäki track renovation project, there will be changes to the use of Ainola station as well as short interruptions during Easter and the summer. The railway project will also affect the use of Järvenpää and Saunakallio stations. From now on, Pännäinen railway station will be known as Pietarsaari-Pedersöre. Give us feedback and enable us to build a better service together. Open image viewerMajor Finnish drinks manufacturers such as Iisalmi-based Olvi would be hit if a strike goes ahead in the brewery sector next weekend 16:25Mediation in the food industry labour dispute continued on Monday morning and is to resume on Tuesday led by mediator Janne Metsämäki from the National Conciliator's Office will begin on Sunday if no agreement is reached before then Hartwall's brewery is located in Lahti while Olvi's is in Iisalmi and Sinebrychoff’s is in Kerava Nearly 1,000 employees would take part in the walkout from Sunday evening until Friday evening partly overlapping with the brewery strike has also been issued to large meat and prepared-food manufacturers That industrial action would begin on 25 March Saarioinen and Snellman – which include the country’s biggest producers of sausages and readymade foods Last week’s bakery strike led to shortages on some store shelves employees at Fazer's Lahti bakeries announced a separate 24-hour local walkout on 4 April to protest their employer's actions Workers say that Fazer actively sought to break last week’s legal strike Meanwhile another strike is looming in the bakery second targeting 150 bakeries in the Fazer and Lantmännen groups The four-day job action would include some 2,000 employees The Food Workers' Union (SEL) is currently trying to hammer out five collective agreements with employers represented by the Food and Drink Industries' Federation (ETL) these negotiations cover about 25,000 workers in the meat Users with an Yle ID can leave comments on our news stories. 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Our guidelines on commenting and moderation are explained here 1fr);grid-auto-rows:auto;max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}.css-1dt7hju>*{position:relative;}@media screen and (min-width: 600px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(4 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 900px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:none;-webkit-column-gap:0;column-gap:0;padding:0 0 0 0;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1440px){.css-1dt7hju{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 This exhibition brings together the career highlights of the "Flying Finn" Teuvo Länsivuori from his active racing years Digital touchscreens immerse visitors in the exhilarating scenes of Grand Prix motorcycling’s golden era across Europe a time when riders risked their lives in every race but track safety standards were far from what they are today Länsivuori competed in 74 World Championship races along with three World Championship silvers (350 cc and 250 cc classes in 1973 500 cc class in 1976) and one bronze (500 cc class in 1974) Länsivuori claimed the European Championship in the UEM Vintage Road Racing Cup’s 500 cc class he competed in Ducati Cup events at Botniaring where he competed in the ICGP class on a 250 cc Yamaha he was awarded the Pro Sports recognition for his career as a competitive motorcyclist This exhibition offers an inspiring experience in the world of motorsport allowing visitors to relive a time of intense passion Welcome to the world of speed and determination 1fr);grid-auto-rows:auto;max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 2.0rem 0 2.0rem;}.css-tg00bh>*{position:relative;}@media screen and (min-width: 600px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(4 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.0rem;column-gap:2.0rem;padding:0 3.2rem 0 3.2rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 900px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:2.4rem;column-gap:2.4rem;padding:0 6.4rem 0 6.4rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1024px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 1fr);max-width:1440px;-webkit-column-gap:3.2rem;column-gap:3.2rem;padding:0 8.0rem 0 8.0rem;}}@media screen and (min-width: 1440px){.css-tg00bh{grid-template-columns:repeat(12 View upcoming auction estimates and receive personalized email alerts for the artists you follow A leading artist on the international scene, Kaarina Kaikkonen (Iisalmi 1952) has exhibited in some of the most prestigious museums in the world such as MAXXI (2012) and the Centro per l’Arte Contemporanea Luigi Pecci (2014) as well as having been a guest at the Collezione Maramotti with the large-scale installation Are We Still Going On The artist is known for her environmental projects and impressive installations made of clothing elements which represent a set of voices in dialogue with social spaces As the title of the exhibition—Tied Together—suggests her installations reflect a precise vision of the world: that of a common human journey in which the closeness of the other is an indispensable factor Kaikkonen weaves poetics capable of questioning and dialoguing with the surroundings giving a new lease of life to garments that reassuring and disturbing all at the same time Their presence irrevocably evokes an absence in the antithetical coexistence of concepts such as covering and unveiling In Finland, Kuappi is a testament to the idea that size is not the sole measure of greatness. In a world where extravagant, beautiful dining spaces often take center stage Kuappi's small footprint has become its unique selling point The restaurant's commitment to creating an intimate atmosphere has earned it a place among the smallest restaurants in the world Iisalmi is a vibrant village in the heart of Savoia the restaurant isn't a charming trinket shop or a whimsical birdhouse; it's an official Guinness World Record holder with a dining area barely exceeding half that adorned with checkered linens and warm lighting a compact kitchen and a miniature bathroom complete the quirky footprint guests can expect a full bar despite the small size the alcohol is kept in (what else?) mini bottles seasonal ingredients transformed into heartwarming dishes that include fresh seafood and a staple bread with mushroom sauce which loosely translates to "cupboard" in English lives up to its name with its cozy and intimate atmosphere While the physical footprint of Kuappi may be small the menu features a range of traditional proteins and salads it is the Hunter's steak sandwich that is specifically popular The dish features grilled pork on white bread with a creamy forest mushroom sauce and arrives with a side of green salad Kuappi is more than just a restaurant; it's a reminder that size doesn't matter when creating memorable experiences and forging deeper connections. So, if you're ever in Finland and seeking an adventure that tickles your taste buds, look no further than Kuappi. And don't stop there, as there are plenty of other restaurants worldwide that offer unique dining experiences Just remember to book your table for two — because sharing is genuinely caring in this world's smallest restaurant A final word of advice: Be sure to make plans early as it's challenging to get a reservation in the three months — June HELSINKI FINLAND JUser: :_load: Unable to load user with ID: 58 Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso (PS) and Minister of Employment Arto Satonen (NCP) attended a question-time debate in parliament on Thursday Juuso defended a government proposal to reduce hospital services in many parts of the country rejecting the claim by opposition lawmakers that hospitals would be shut down entirely as “a misconception” The proposal has nonetheless provoked concerns also among ruling-party members making tomorrow’s vote important for not only hospital services but also the ruling coalition MEMBERS of Finnish Parliament are this week faced with a vote that could be consequential for not only hospital services but also the ruling coalition according to reporting by Helsingin Sanomat Lawmakers are tomorrow set to vote on a government proposal that would reduce mostly night-time hospital and health care services in Iisalmi that the government is planning on closing hospitals entirely “Not a single hospital in Finland is being shut down, the hospital network isn’t being pruned, not a single operating room is being closed. Right off the bat I’ll clear these misconceptions that the opposition is spreading,” Minister of Social Affairs and Health Kaisa Juuso (PS) was quoted saying during a question-time debate in parliament on Thursday which is something well-being services counties can’t do The counties look at the situation regionally The proposal has nonetheless come under criticism also from ruling-party lawmakers, with five declaring publicly that they are unwilling to back it and ready to not bow to the whip: Markku Eestilä and Janne Heikkinen of the National Coalition Mikko Lundén and Mikko Polvinen of the Finns Party Also Sanna Antikainen (PS) on Thursday revealed that she is unsure how she will vote on the proposal “I’m a representative for Savo-Karelia,” she retorted when asked what factors influence her decision Milla Lahdenperä and Mari-Leena Talvitie of the National Coalition declined to comment on how they plan on voting after a parliamentary group meeting on Thursday “I’ll get back to you on Tuesday,” quipped Lahdenperä The Finns Party and National Coalition are both intent on enforcing party discipline on the vote the chairperson of the Finns Party Parliamentary Group the chairperson of the National Coalition Parliamentary Group “In the government, you vote for government proposals,” Mäkelä told Helsingin Sanomat on Thursday They both declined to comment on what kind of ramifications there could be for rebelling lawmakers and I won’t be commenting on that publicly in any way,” said Marttinen Ruling-party members in general are required to vote along the party line in order to ensure sufficient support for government proposals Another indication of the significance of the vote is that at least four lawmakers are set to suspend their parental leaves to cast their vote: Eveliina Heinäluoma (SDP), Saara Hyrkkö (Greens), Hilkka Kemppi (Centre) and Annika Saarikko (Centre), according to Helsingin Sanomat The government’s proposal endangers equal access to care for Finns,” Heinäluoma messaged the newspaper on Thursday Hyrkkö estimated in a social media post that the cuts are a means for the government to pursue what is an unspeakable goal “It’s hard to come up with any other motive for this short-sighted undermining of social and health care services than eroding [public] trust so badly that the entire system has to be re-established The replacement on offer would undoubtedly be based on private services and insurance,” she commented said she is particularly concerned about the continuation of overnight services in Salo which is located in her electoral district of Southwest Finland “I’m suspending my family leave for this important vote and will be present in parliament I want to demonstrate that the government proposal on discontinuing emergency services and downsizing hospital operations is taking Finland in the wrong direction,” she declared in a statement issued on Thursday Teemu Muhonen, a political journalist at Helsingin Sanomat, stated in his analysis that if the proposal were to be torpedoed by lawmakers who are worried about their re-election prospects it would be a severe blow to the government possibly making decisions on additional cost-saving measures impossible It could be the beginning of the end for the government A handful of lawmakers publicly expressing their intention not to back the proposal could create a snowball effect among representatives from the same electoral districts The four ruling parties have 108 of the 199 votes in parliament Advertisement inquiries and other after-sales issues: info@helsinkitimes.fi Helsinki Times is the first and only English language newspaper providing news about Finland in English A weekly print edition of Helsinki Times was published from March 2007 up until Feb Helsinki Times is an online-only publication and other groups and individuals interested in Finland from all around the world © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Darkness, cold and high taxes – they’re all secondary compared to what Finland has to offer, says Genelec CEO Siamäk Naghian. “Attitude is everything,” Naghian says. “What the heart really wants and whatever you’re prepared to work for, you usually get in the end.” the embassy official who granted my visa said that I should know that Finland is expensive I got to live in a welfare state where education was free and it was also possible to work at the same time” Today he is the CEO of technology firm Genelec Genelec makes professional-grade studio speakers for export to more than 100 countries The firm competes with top specialists in Silicon Valley and other global urban centers Savo had already become a familiar place while he was a student because his Finnish wife is from Ylä-Savo “When I’m travelling abroad I always miss my home in Lapinlahti.” Siamäk Naghian says he pays attention to how well applicants know themselves “We can take professional skills and expertise for granted during the recruitment stage but people won’t manage on the job and in the workplace if they have the wrong sense of self.” “If you think the world should be the way you want Genelec recently tried blind recruitment to hire new workers Applications were scrubbed of applicants’ gender Naghian got the idea from a newspaper article that described how 50 Finnish Roma names in job applications None of them made it to the interview stage “We learned a lot from the blind recruitment Last fiscal year Genelec’s sales were 33 million euros and there were 190 employees on the company payroll According to Naghian buyers from as far as afield Hollywood are interested in acquiring the company The firm also aims to keep product development and manufacturing under the same roof in Finland and to maintain its head office in Iisalmi the late Ilpo Martikainen offered Naghian the chief executive’s role in 2011 he also presented Naghian with the employment agreement and asked whether he wanted to further define the job description “I just signed my name on the paper and to this day I haven’t read my job contract My internal motivation was enough of a job description.” money is never motivation enough -- for anyone “Finns’ strength is our genuine nature and the fact that we keep our feet on the ground Fortunately we [the world] are headed in a better direction when it comes to over-the-top compensation and self-promotion.” Genelec distributes potential annual bonuses equitably to everyone “For some a bonus could mean two or three weeks additional pay Siamäk Naghian’s life story is worthy of the silver screen as a young man Naghian witnessed the collapse of the corrupt peacock regime of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi as well as the short-lived period of hope and enthusiasm for the emergence of a new kind of society that followed it following his rise to power the religious leader Ayatolla Khomeini soon had Iran in his grip Eighteen months later Siamäk Naghian was at the front in the Iran-Iraq war the son of an entrepreneur family joined the ranks of thousands of young people leaving the country and ended up studying in Ankara “My goal was to go to either Australia or Spain Then a guy I know praised the study opportunities in Finland Naghian arrived in Finland on September 20 “The few foreigners who were here at the time immediately stood out on the streets of Helsinki.” During his first winter Naghian froze until he learned to wear gloves “People come here in search of a better life When you’re doing well it is easy to slip into the illusion that all of this belongs to me You have to remember that you also have to work towards a better society.” Naghian landed a job at a Neste Oil factory in Herttoniemi “They created my very own Finnish handbook for me another taught me how to use slang.” Naghian’s co-workers also tried to teach the newcomer Finnish dating habits “We went out to a bar and after two beers I said I was going home ‘But we’ve only just begun’ the guys said.” The boss also hired him for the Christmas vacation although at the time students weren’t usually allowed to work other than during summer “At that time the status of students was different from what it is today and as a foreign student I could not get student financial aid.” As a going away present his colleagues gave him pens and notebooks everything that they thought an academic needed Only later did I realize how warmly Finland welcomed me.” At night Naghian worked at the Intercontinental hotel which at the time was developing GSM and 3G mobile phone systems “Some people called Sari and Matti were working on the same floor It was only after some time that I realized what a great company I was working for Nokia management team members Sari Baldauf and Matti Alahuhta were sitting there Naghian had completed a degree in Finland-Persian translation in tandem with his engineering studies health centers and I learned a lot about Finnish society.” Naghian earned a licentiate degree in 1998 and completed a doctorate in 2001 His dissertation was on power control in the mobile phones of the future “Finland should be copied,” Siamäk Naghian says Naghian says he always speaks of Finland as a dream society during his travels “I told a Chinese director who copied our products that he would be better off copying Finnish society.” However he says Finland does not have an adequate immigration policy but we need to know what kind of workers and how to help them integrate.” but the man in the street only sees the power of politicized religion when they look at modern-day Iran Kolumni / ”Kolme lasta, iso asunto ja auto” – Näin keskiluokan köyhtyminen käynnistyyMikko MetsämäkiKoulutusAsiakaspalvelu Puh. 010 665 8110 Yritysnumeroon soitettaessa puheluhinta on pelkästään matkapuhelu- (mpm) tai paikallisverkkomaksu (pvm) Did you find any incorrect or incomplete information? Please, let us know Mestis is the 2nd highest level in Finnish icehockey It was founded 1974 and the name was those days I divisioona (1st division) During season 1994-96 name was changed to Fazer-league (according the sponsor) but it was changed back to I divisioona 1996 and from the season 2000-01 the name has been Mestis Jokerit Helsinki has passed the licensing process and next season will play in Mestis after one-year hiatus following club's exit from KHLJokerit will replace Peliitat Heinola left without a Mestis license due to financial problems.In total 13 clubs will play in the Finnish 2nd League Ketterä Imatra defends the Mestis title from 2019 after beating Hermes Kokkola in the finals Finnish goalie released for pro-drug comments Richard Ullberg, goalie of second-tier Mestis side Hermes Kokkola was released by his team due to violating the club's anti-drug policy The 22-year old made positive comments about the use of cannabis on his personal social media accounts which made a further work relationship with the club impossible who already played in top division Liiga and Austrian-based EBEL earlier in his career had a great preseason and looked like the top candidate as starting goalie After being testes by the club on forbidden substances the goalie will be able to play for any other team as there were no anomalies found Former Montreal Canadiens and New York Islanders defenseman Marko Kiprusoff will be new assistant coach for the Finnish Mestis team TuTo. Last year he was assistant coach of TPS. As a player he won the World Championship in 1995 The Hungarian Ice Hockey Federation announced their end of season awards for the 2014-15 season Gábor Ocskay Award - Best Forward: Dániel Kóger (Fehérvár AV19) Vedres Cup - Best Goalie: Miklós Rajna (Fehérvár AV19) Miklós Cup - Most technical players: István Bartalis (Fehérvár AV19) Kósa Cup - Rookie of the Year: Balázs Sebők (Hokki Leveles Cup - Best youth player: Máté Gáspár (EHC Linz Miklós Séra Award - Best youth coach: Tyler Dietrich (Fehérvár AV19) Male player of the year: Zoltán Hetényi (Fehérvár AV19) Female player of the year: Anikó Németh (KMH Budapest) Inline player of the year: Zoltán Revák (Ferencváros) Dinamo Riga signs cooperation with Jokipojat Dinamo Riga has signed a cooperation agreement with Finnish club Jokipojat Joensuu playing in Mestis League.Under the terms of this cooperation Dinamo players can play for Jokipojat with the possibility at any moment to be called back to Riga The first players going to Finland were defender Martins Jakovlevs and forward Vitaljs Pavlovs Luleå wins their second title in Sweden, 29 years after the first one. Read more» The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins will face off in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 14 and 16, 2025, as part of the NHL Global Series. These games at the renovated Avicii Arena mark the 47th and 48th NHL contests held in ... Read more» Normet supports education at Savonia University of Applied Sciences by donating 10 000 euros to Savonia The donation was handed over at Normet factory in Iisalmi 2018 by Normet's CEO robin Lindahl and it was received by Seppo Lyyra “Savonia University of Applied Sciences is an important partner to us and we want to deepen our cooperation with Savonia further Savonia has been involved in training of our personnel It is therefore important to us to take care of the skills of our personnel and ensure the availability of skilled new personnel” e-mail: robin.lindahl@normet.com We are underground experts driven by continuous improvement and care for environment We offer complete technical solutions increasing our customers’ profitability through improved safety Normet has a broad offering for underground mining and tunnelling: equipment, construction chemicals, rock reinforcement products and services. Normet currently employs over 1200 business professionals and the net sales in 2017 was over 250 million Euro. Normet is a Finnish company operating globally with over 50 locations in 30 countries. For more information, visit www.normet.com Savonia University of Applied Sciences is a significant educator of experts in technology From 2015 to 2017 a total of 775 engineers graduated from Savonia A nationwide strike involving brewery and soft drink plant workers began on Sunday evening The strike affects three of Finland’s largest breweries and is expected to continue until Friday Roughly 1,000 workers from Hartwall in Lahti and Sinebrychoff in Kerava are taking part The strike also covers Hartwall’s warehouse in Tattariharju and Sinebrychoff’s equipment services in Kerava The breweries involved produce some of Finland’s best-known alcoholic and soft drink brands The strike follows a similar walkout by bakery workers earlier in March Both actions stem from unresolved disputes in the food industry between the Finnish Food Workers’ Union SEL and the Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation ETL Negotiations between the two sides have been ongoing since early February The main point of contention concerns working hours and wages for bakery employees Although ETL accepted a settlement proposal on Friday that maintained a 100 percent night work bonus The union argued the proposal still significantly weakened current working time arrangements SEL confirmed the strike would go ahead across all shifts starting 23 March at 21:00 and ending 28 March at 21:00 Ministerial authorities have delayed a separate strike targeting the meat and staple food sectors which was originally set to begin on 25 March The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment moved the action to 8 April following a recommendation from the National Conciliator citing its potential impact on essential societal functions Breweries have said consumers will not face immediate shortages and Sinebrychoff stated they had increased production and stockpiled goods in advance once the strike appeared likely “These are not fresh products,” said Titta Jaakkola Head of Content and Communications at Hartwall “Some Hartwall drinks may be temporarily unavailable in shops or restaurants if the strike extends beyond Friday.” Olvi reported strong availability of its products throughout the strike week Sinebrychoff said production and distribution at its Kerava site would halt entirely and stock replenishment during the strike was not possible shipped additional volumes to retailers and restaurants in preparation it’s best to pick it up early for the weekend,” Timo Mikkola Sinebrychoff’s Head of Communications told Helsingin Sanomat Retailers have confirmed that inventories have been bolstered “The stores have been stocked extensively,” said Sampo Päällysaho manager of K-Supermarket Tripla in Helsinki said beverage products are space-consuming and not easy to stock for an entire week “We usually receive deliveries from the major breweries three times a week One load is meant to cover only a few days,” he said He predicted that multi-packs and the most popular items Shoppers might need to switch to less common soft drinks or buy individual cans instead of packs © Helsinki Times All rights reserved.  Terms of Use | Privacy Policy chair of the Finns Party's parliamentary group defended members' right to voice concerns but emphasised that votes in the chamber are a different matter Image: Silja Viitala / YleYle News11.12.2024 18:50Tensions are mounting within Finland's governing coalition as MPs prepare to vote next week on plans to scale back the country's hospital network which have sparked significant opposition in affected regions have exposed fractures in both the Finns Party and the National Coalition Party (NCP) have announced they will not support the government's proposal Kangas revealed that other party members are also reconsidering their stance with MP Ritva Elomaa (Finns) among those undecided Criticism has also emerged from the ranks of the National Coalition Party has stated he will not back the proposed cuts Both Lundén and Eestilä hail from regions where services would be adversely affected with hospitals in Salo and Iisalmi set to face reductions The planned cuts would see the end of primary healthcare night shifts in Raahe the 24-hour emergency room coverage required for operating room readiness would be discontinued in Kemi While Kouvola's night services were initially on the chopping block the government later reversed its decision MPs who vote against the government's proposal may face disciplinary measures within their parties The Finns Party leadership has signalled that MPs will not have a free vote on the matter we vote in favour of government proposals," Mäkelä asserted adding that the Finns Party is likely to address dissenting views in a meeting on Thursday He acknowledged the localised nature of MPs' concerns particularly regarding their own regions' hospitals chair of the National Coalition Party's parliamentary group confirmed that members of his party would be expected to vote in line with the government "We negotiate decisions together and take them forward together in Parliament," he said stressing that free votes will not be permitted Opposition MPs have criticised the proposed changes highlighting the potential risks to patient safety and the challenges posed by longer travel distances to access healthcare services remains committed to moving forward with the plan The parliamentary vote on the hospital cuts is scheduled for next Tuesday The outcome will be closely watched as a test of the coalition's unity and its ability to push through unpopular reforms People walking in Helsinki city centre on a rainy day With November ushering in the gloomiest and darkest time of the year has shed light on the Finnish localities that experience the most overcast weather Topping the list are the northern towns of Kemi To determine the "grayest" places in Finland This was developed based on factors like average cloud cover making November's average cloud cover and relative humidity among the highest in Finland Due to the lack of sunlight in Northern Finland the moisture originating from the sea easily condenses into clouds and fog contributing to the region's pronounced grayness." Salo claims the title of the grayest town in Southern Finland and Porvoo also making it into the top ten "The closer you are to the Gulf of Finland's coastline previously labeled Europe's grayest capital in a study six years ago only managed to rank 37th this time in the domestic comparison longer daylight hours and lower cloud cover and humidity values decreased its grayness score," Mäntykannas notes hinting that Helsinki could still top international capital city comparisons In a quirky celebration of this "grayness" often referred to as Finland's national beverage featuring iconic stripes representing the 100 grayest towns will be available in stores and restaurants "The gray weather symbolized by the Long Drink is not a cause for sorrow We want to highlight this by showcasing Finland's grayest towns Finding your hometown on the can is a reason to toast with pride." "Wintery grayness protects us in many ways – it reduces the likelihood of extreme cold snaps For those curious about where their town ranks enabling comparisons between various Finnish localities Kainuu and Central Ostrobothnia reported the highest number of hate crimes in the 10-year study Open image viewerImage: Henrietta Hassinen / YleYle News23.1.2020 11:00•Updated 23.1.2020 11:35Officials in North Karelia have recorded more hate crimes against foreign background individuals on average compared to other parts of the country The data were published on Monday as part of an integration report compiled by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and were based on statistics compiled by the Police College University between 2009 and 2018 While there are large variations in the occurrence of hate crimes against immigrants they appear to be most prevalent in eastern Finland Assault motivated by prejudice or hostility towards the victim’s ethnic background is the most common example of a hate crime However other typical cases include slander and vandalism Ethnic agitation cases are not as commonplace The majority of hate crime victims are foreign-background Finnish citizens or members of Finland’s Roma minority Foreign-background groups most subjected to hate crimes include Iraqis although such offences do occur occasionally In relation to Finland’s immigrant population the number of hate crimes has declined in recent years The report noted that hate crimes in Finland do not occur in locations with relatively large migrant populations The highest number of offences in relation to immigrant communities was recorded in North Karelia Central Ostrobothnia in the west and Kainuu These are all areas with relatively small foreign-background communities When Yle compared the relative number of hate crimes recorded in different municipalities Iisalmi and Siilinjärvi topped the list for offences registered even a single incident can skew the data in relation to the overall population as well as in relation to the size of the local immigrant community Variations in the numbers of offences recorded may also be attributed to differences in the threshold for reporting such crimes However two factors that all of the municipalities with high numbers of hate crimes have in common are a small number of migrants and the presence of an asylum seeker reception centre tensions flared in western Finland's Siilinjärvi and Forssa in 2015 and 2016 when the country established dozens of reception centres to accommodate arriving asylum seekers criminal reports have declined significantly in both municipalities immigrants in Lieksa faced a great deal of harassment At the time Somalis accounted for a large part of Lieksa's migrant residents This group has generally been the target of more harassment and threats than others on average However the situation has since taken a turn for the better While hate crimes are usually perpetrated by a member of a majority group against a member of a minority group some cases may involve majority or minority group members only offences committed by minorities against majority group members are not recorded as hate crimes because police do not consider the victim’s ethnicity to be a factor Approximately one quarter of Kuopio’s surface area is covered with water The majority of the water surface area consists of large lakes The ecological status of these large lakes is largely good Several measures have been proposed to improve the satisfactory condition in the action programme for the water management of North Savo for the years 2022–2027   Diffuse loads are of great importanceIn the lakes of Kuopio phosphorus is a so-called minimum nutrient that determines their eutrophication level Eutrophication is a process in which lots of nutrients accumulate in a lake which can cause algal blooms and depletion of oxygen both of which have negative effects on fish and other organisms Some of the phosphorus leached into water systems comes from natural leaching and airborne deposition leaching and deposition account for more than one third of the phosphorus load whereas on the more heavily loaded Iisalmi waterways they only account for one quarter of the phosphorus load The most significant source of human origin in this context is agriculture in the status of water bodies in the Maaninka area Pointlike sources of phosphorus are urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants the largest of which are the Lehtoniemi wastewater treatment plant and the factories of Savon Sellu Oy Point loading accounts for about 2 per cent of the phosphorus entering Central Kallavesi Nitrogen does not eutrophicate inland waters as much as phosphorus Less than half of the nitrogen load in the watercourses of Kuopio is from natural leaching and deposition The share of agriculture is high in areas dominated by agriculture Pointlike sources of nitrogen are urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants Point load causes approximately 13 per cent of the nitrogen load in Central Kallavesi oxygen is consumed (so-called biological oxygen consumption The largest sources in Kallavesi are the plants of Savon Sellu Oy and the Lehtoniemi wastewater treatment plant Loading of organic substances at the Lehtoniemi wastewater treatment plant has decreased significantly compared to the mid-1990s No significant changes have taken place in the loading from Savon Sellu Kuopio also has plenty of small water areas that are sensitive to external loading The central urban area contains dozens of small lakes and ponds owned by the city the status of which has been partly monitored since the mid-1980s The city monitors the status of its small waters and manages them with oxidisation and by transplanting young fish in them A separate management and restoration programme for small water bodies has been drawn up Small water restoration programme Site-specific pond and bay cards Britons score silverThe tongue-in-cheek contest has been held annually since 1992 in the North Savo town of Sonkajärvi This year it attracted competitors from as far afield as Mexico and Australia Open image viewerEukonkannon MM-kisojen voittajapari Ville Parviainen ja Janette Oksman Image: Toni Pitkänen / Yle5.7.2014 19:51•Updated 6.7.2014 14:08A new couple has won the Wife-Carrying World Championships in eastern Finland for the first time in half a dozen years The new titleholders are the husky Ville Parviainen and the petite Janette Oksman from Vantaa They vowed to win next year’s 20th anniversary race as well Taisto Miettinen and Kristiina Haapalainen who have ruled the event for the past five years Rich Blake Smith and Anna Marguerite Smith followed by Norway’s Harald Svandal Bø and Gunnhild Hardersen Presthus Alex Ayling, an American travel video blogger (or "vlogger") who advertised for a temporary Finnish “wife” on social media came in 22nd with Nelli Immonen on his shoulders while his brother Mark Ayling and his partner Anni Kortelainen placed 29th Ten couples failed to complete the gruelling course which includes running through a pool of water The tongue-in-cheek contest has been held annually since 1992 in the North Savo town of Sonkajärvi It claims to trace its origins back to the nineteenth century when local bandits led by Rosvo-Ronkainen allegedly carried off women from neighbouring villages By now the competition – expanded into a two-day festival – has become an international magnet and tourism goldmine for an otherwise unexceptional town who vied for the grand title on Saturday afternoon The previous participation record was 43 couples Some 5,000-6,000 spectators were on hand to witness the offbeat event While dining alone is something not everyone has the nerve to do in the case of one tiny restaurant in Finland which is a variant of the Finnish word for "cabinet," can seat two people but its 86 square feet might make for a tight fit Technically you won't be eating alone anyway since you'll have plenty of one-on-one time with the single staff member who also manages to squeeze in there if you've been able to secure a reservation you can boast of having visited what may well be the world's smallest restaurant The Guinness Book of World Records reportedly named it as such in 1994 you may be glad to know that bathroom facilities are also available onsite so you needn't make use of an outhouse nor sprint down the road to another establishment You might think a restaurant that only seats two if the weather permits dining at the one outdoor table — would charge a premium price If the restaurant in question is Italy's Sol per Due as this upscale dining experience costs upwards of $325 per person Entrees on its moderately-priced menu range from about $16 to $28 If you're sold on the tiny dining experience and are already googling airfares to Kuopio be aware that it's only open during the summer you'll need to book at least two days in advance – more if another lucky diner has beaten you to the punch you can console yourself with a meal at Olutmestari the aforementioned sister restaurant that supplies all of the food.