Hellgren v. Finland

In this case, the ECtHR delivered its judgment concerning the applicant’s wages being withheld for two days after she refused—following her trade union’s stance—to provide induction training to externally hired employees brought in to counteract impending industrial action. Although she was scheduled for ordinary mail delivery work on those days, her employer sent her home and withheld her wages. Relying on Articles 11 (freedom of assembly and association) and 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention, the applicant argues that being sent home and having her wages withheld unlawfully restricted her rights to trade union membership and industrial action.

In its judgment, the ECtHR considers that there is no violation of Article 11 of the Convention and no violation of Article 14 of the Convention taken in conjunction with Article 11.