The Finnish Forest Industries Federation said Monday that the stevedores' strike had shut down almost 60 per cent of the country's paper mills, with more than 3,700 workers sent home.

Timo Jaatinen, the managing director of the wood-processing industry lobby, said the Transport Workers' Union (AKT) was putting jobs at risk.

The federation added that the dockers' strike was slowing down the country's recovery from the recession.

Talks between the AKT and the Port Operators' Association to end the strike broke down on Friday.

The strike began on 4 March.

The two sides are to resume talks on Tuesday, with severance pay as the key sticking point.

STT