Lakko and making up for lost time..

For those NON Finns (which is most of you) who read my blog, the word "lakko" means: strike. As in a labour strike, not as in I kick your ass with my nuclear missle strike kind of strike. It appears as though the labour negotiations between the Transport Worker's Union and the government have collapsed at this point and a bus strike is imminent.

According to YLE news (the state run news/television channel):

"The Transport Workers' Union says it is still prepared to begin the strike
on Sunday evening at 6:00 p.m. The state mediator's office says that there
has
not been enough progress to submit a government-backed compromise deal.
The key
dispute is whether employers should be allowed to use more part-time
contracts.
..."

I am a bit relieved that I take the train to work (well to the stop nearest me and then walk the 1.5 km to my office). Our department assistant actually sent out an email today:

If you think that the strike will affect you, please send mail to Petra (last name removed to protect the innocent): and tell from where you are coming to work. We need to organize a car pool to help those who need a ride to work during the strike.

Deadline: Thursday 2.3. by 14:00! (so we'll have enough time to try to find the rides for you)

Very nice of them in my opinion. It also means that we will be able to bill the client if employees actually show up and do work :)

I also got sort of a promotion. I have been accepted as "Development and Deplyoment Manager" of a global process being developed and implemented for our client. Now I am not so sure it is actually a promotion at this point though. It is a fuck load more work and more responsibility. It gives me greater visibility and more impact on our relationship with our client and our bottom line - as I will be the one getting this process implemented into projects where our staff already is placed and having our staff (to whom I have taught the process) moved into more projects thus expanding our reach and the depth of service we provide for our client. So instead of the opportunity to fail on a project level, I get the opportunity to fail on a GRAND stage! Or succeed - if you are an optimist... I had the interview with the global owner of this thing on Friday and he said to my boss: "If she can learn to speak Finnish as well as she actually does in under 2 years, then she can do anything and I want her on my team." ....Um....er..talk about a frickin ego boost and having the bar set REALLY Manute Bol FUCKING HIGH for me. Nothing like giving me an ego boost and scaring the crap out of me all in the same sentence!

I start next week.....