Finnish workers demand pay rises; tough wage talks expected

Helsinki

IF Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, is looking for signs of wage growth, he might find comfort in Finland.

After delivering the euro zone's fastest pace of economic growth in the first quarter, Finnish workers have had enough belt-tightening and are now demanding pay rises they say are only fair given the rebound in exports.

Finns have put in longer hours and given up bank holidays in response to government demands. Their efforts helped drag the Nordic region's only euro member out of a three-year recession. Now, …