A potential strike will significantly affect the police services in Western Uusimaa on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, and Wednesday, April 16, 2025. During the strike, the police will handle only the tasks that are essential to prevent a threat to citizens' life or health, or to protect property that is especially at risk due to the labor dispute.
As previously announced by the Police Board, Western Uusimaa Police Department, and the Finnish Police Union (SPJL) on Monday, April 14, the police and staff organizations have reached an agreement on the protection tasks during the potential strike.
Police patrols will handle tasks that pose a threat to life or health
Police patrols working on protection tasks will handle urgent duties during the strike. These duties include tasks that are essential to prevent a threat to life or health or to protect property that is particularly at risk due to the labor dispute. Other police departments near Western Uusimaa Police Department can support the patrols of Western Uusimaa only in tasks related to protection work. Citizens can still call the emergency number 112 in life-threatening or health-threatening situations during the strike. Necessary first actions and investigations related to crimes against life and health will also be handled.
– The personnel resources available to the police, as agreed through negotiations with the unions, will be smaller than usual during the strike. Protection tasks will be handled by professional personnel, says Police Chief Timo Saarinen.
All four Western Uusimaa Police Stations will be closed to customers on strike says
Espoo Main Police Station as well as police stations at Kirkkonummi, Lohja, and Raasepori will all be closed to customers on strike days. The police stations will mainly have personnel working on protection tasks. This means that:
- Western Uusimaa Police Department’s crime report reception will be closed at all police stations. Crime reports can be made online or at any other police station according to their service hours.
- Western Uusimaa Police Department’s permit services will be closed at all police stations on strike days. The police will not be able to serve customers who have an appointment for applying for a passport, ID card, firearm license, or private security license on Tuesday, April 15, or Wednesday, April 16. Similarly, the police will not be able to accept customers with appointments for firearm presentations on the strike days. No separate message will be sent to customers regarding appointment cancellations due to the strike. Customers whose appointments are canceled due to the strike must rebook an appointment through the police electronic service. Queue number customers will be served again on Thursday, April 17, according to the regular station-specific opening hours. In urgent permit matters, police stations from other departments will serve customers during the strike according to their service hours.
- Western Uusimaa Police Department’s lost property services will be closed at all police stations on strike days. Lost property services will resume according to regular opening hours after the strike.
- Western Uusimaa Police Department will not be able to accept asylum or temporary protection applications at their police stations on strike days. Applications can be submitted at any other police station.
The police online service will be available during the strike
The police online serviceLink to an external website will be available as usual during the strike. Through online services, one can file a crime report or start an application for a passport or an ID card. The staff of Western Uusimaa Police Department will begin processing reports and applications submitted on strike days immediately after the strike ends.
Normal service will resume on Thursday, April 17 – Easter holidays will close customer service points
Western Uusimaa Police Department will serve customers again on Thursday, April 17, following the regular station-specific opening hours. Station-specific opening hours can be found on the police website.
On Friday, April 18, and Monday, April 21, all customer service points at Western Uusimaa Police Department and other police stations will be closed due to the Easter holidays. Online services will operate normally during the Easter period.
What is the strike about?
On March 31, the Finnish Labour Market Authority received a labor dispute notification concerning police services, which affects all tasks of Western Uusimaa Police Department. The strike concerns the negotiations of a state collective agreement between the Finnish Labour Market Authority, the Negotiation Organization for Public Sector Professionals (JUKO ry), Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors (JHL ry), and Trade Union Pro The strike is not a protest by the police or the staff of Western Uusimaa Police Department against the employer.
The Police Board has negotiated with the unions regarding tasks excluded from the strike, specifically protection work. Western Uusimaa Police Department was also involved in the negotiations, focusing especially on the tasks handled as protection work and the resources needed to manage them.
