Helsinki - A wage conflict has put the upcoming World Cup ski event in the Finnish resort of Levi in question, reports said Wednesday.

Workers at five resorts in Finland, including Levi, were scheduled to begin a two-day strike later Wednesday.

The service union PAM has called for a 3-per-cent wage increase while the Finnish Tourism and Restaurant Industries Federation (MaRa) has offered 0.5 per cent.

Arbitration attempts by the national conciliator have so far failed, and unions were threatening a second strike on November 13, the eve of the weekend events in Levi, until early November 16.

"Ski resort employees have to have a much higher raise than half a per cent," PAM director Ann Selin said, Finnish broadcaster YLE reported.

A decline in business travellers and foreign visitors gives reason to be less upbeat about the outlook for the ski sector, the tourism federation said. (dpa)