ABOUT 300,000 workers in Finland walked out on strike today in the first of three days of action that bought large parts of the country to a standstill.

Workers are protesting at changes to labour market legislation and social security cuts proposed by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo.

The strikes have shut down nurseries and pre-schools, disrupted air traffic and postal services, halted public transport and closed factories. 

Grocery stores, hotels and restaurants are also hit by the strikes across the Nordic country of 5.6 million people.

National airline Finnair said that it was forced to cancel some 550 flights, and substantially cut down traffic at Helsinki Airport, its main base.

Most of the strikes were called by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions and the Finnish Confederation of Professionals.

Their member unions say that the measures proposed by Mr Orpo’s government will increase inequality, weaken the position of workers and harm lower income groups and the unemployed.

The government has proposed a system in which pay across the economy is tied to the export sector. 

It would bar the national labour mediator, which is frequently involved in setting pay, from proposing wage hikes in any labour dispute that are higher than those agreed with the export sector.