Workers at Finnish steel maker Rautaruukki's Raahe plant downed tools on Thursday morning for two days to protest low wages paid to Polish bricklayers working at the site, the metalworkers union said.

Ms Teija Salmela Rautaruukki spokeswoman said that “There is an illegal strike ongoing at Raahe mill. The majority of the 2,400 employees is estimated to be participating in the strike.”

She added the employees had announced they would return to their jobs from Saturday morning at 6 AM.

Blast furnace 2 in Raahe was shut down at the end of June for around two months for modernization. The modernization work is being carried out by a German construction and engineering firm Beroa.

(Sourced from Reuters)