HELSINKI: Finland's world famous President, Martti Ahtisaari, was one of the main speakers at the party on June 19, 1999, celebrating the 100th birthday of the Finnish Metalworkers´ Union. In his speech of congratulations to the union, he also advocated consensus in the domestic field -- between Parliament, the government and the different parties to the labour market. He described the metalworkers´ union as "an icebreaker which is opening new routes."
The President of the Finnish Metalworkers´ Union, Per-Erik Lundh, said that the fundamental problems now are the same as 100 years ago: working time, the working environment, wages and the structure of the trade union movement. "These problems will last as long as we have employers and employees."