Norway
Background information on industrial relations in Norway
- 07 Dec 2001
Norway: Kværner to merge with Aker Maritime<#PDF_LINK>In late November 2001, an agreement was reached between the board of Kværner and its largest shareholder, Aker Maritime, on a financial solution to save the troubled Norwegian engineering and construction group. The employees reluctantly gave their consent to the deal, in the face of possible bankruptcy.
- 29 Nov 2001
Norway: Union density and labour market participation among immigrant workers examined<#PDF_LINK>Figures published by Statistics Norway in 2001 show that labour market participation amongnon-westernimmigrants in Norway is still low. However, recent survey data indicate that, contrary to common belief, union density among these immigrant workers is in some sectors as high as, and even higher than, that of indigenous workers.
- 29 Nov 2001
Norway: Supreme Court rules against closed shop<#PDF_LINK>In November 2001, the Norwegian Supreme Court made a landmark ruling on closed-shop arrangements in collective agreements. The court stated that such arrangements, whereby employment is conditional upon employees' or job applicants' trade union affiliation, are in breach of paragraph 55A of the Act relating to Worker Protection and Working Environment (AML), as well as existing practice in connection with the European Social Charter.
- 21 Nov 2001
Norway: SAS given green light to take over Braathens<#PDF_LINK>In October 2001, the Norwegian Competition Authority approved a bid by SAS to purchase the ailing Norwegian airline Braathens. Management, employees and trade unions at Braathens welcomed the Authority's decision. Meanwhile, its own problems and the crisis in the international airline industry have resulted in Braathens announcing workforce reductions. SAS is likely to follow suit.
- 07 Nov 2001
Norway: New centre-right government takes office<#PDF_LINK>A new centre-right government took office in Norway on 19 October 2001. Trade unions are worried that the new government will take a much more liberalising attitude on issues such as privatisation and public ownership, and are especially concerned about recent signals concerning increases in the use of competitive tendering in the state sector.
- 30 Oct 2001
Norway: Agreement reached on sickness absence and an 'inclusive working life'<#PDF_LINK>In October 2001. the Norwegian government and social partners concluded an agreement with the aim of creating a more 'inclusive working life'. One of the objectives of the agreement is to reduce sickness absence by 20% over the period 2001-5. The current sick pay scheme will not be altered during this period.
- 17 Oct 2001
Norway: New teachers' union established<#PDF_LINK>The founding congress of a new teachers' trade union, the Norwegian Education Union (Utdanningsforbundet) was held in October 2001. The new organisation will be formally established at the beginning of 2002, and will be Norway's third-largest union, with around 130,000 members.
- 17 Oct 2001
Norway: Kværner struggling to survive<#PDF_LINK>In autumn 2001, the Norwegian-owned engineering and construction group, Kværner, is in deep financial trouble, and the future looks bleak for a large number of workers both in Norway and elsewhere. At stake in the ongoing effort to rescue Kværner are approximately 35,000 jobs worldwide, of which 5,000 are located in Norway.
- 28 Sep 2001
Norway: Agreement reached on new reorganisation rules in state sector<#PDF_LINK>September 2001 saw the announcement of an agreement laying down personnel policy guidelines to be observed in reorganisation processes in the Norwegian state sector, negotiated by the government and the main trade unions. The deal provides for various support measures for workers affected by a major public sector reform programme.
- 28 Sep 2001
Norway: NHO adopts new policy on incomes policy and bargaining<#PDF_LINK>In September 2001, the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) adopted a newemployer policyprogramme. NHO is not satisfied with the results of the centralised wage policy pursued in recent years and will work towards a decentralisation of the determination of pay and conditions to the company level.
- 11 Sep 2001
Norway: Sick pay a key issue in general election<#PDF_LINK>The national sick pay scheme was one of the central issues on the agenda in the run-up to the Norwegian parliamentary election in September 2001. The present Labour government wants to maintain existing provisions allowing full wage compensation in the event of sickness absence, while the Conservative Party, among others, wants to see a reduction in the level of compensation.
- 11 Sep 2001
Norway: No consensus on financing subsistence during educational leave<#PDF_LINK>The report of a Norwegian committee deliberating models for the financing of subsistence for employees during leave of absence for educational purposes was published in August 2001. The committee's members failed to reach consensus on any of the proposed models for funding, and thus made no recommendations. The LO and YS trade union confederations want the government to rectify this failure by subjecting the issue to political consideration and resolution.
- 28 Aug 2001
Norway: Changes ahead in hospital sector industrial relations<#PDF_LINK>On 1 January 2002, the state will take over responsibility for hospitals in Norway from local government. The hospitals will be organised as five regional enterprises. Employer and bargaining responsibility for the new hospital enterprises have been vested in the existing employers' organisation for (mainly) semi-privatised companies, NAVO. Harmonisation of the three different collective agreements covering hospital staff will be one of the first challenges for employers and trade unions.
- 28 Aug 2001
Norway: Legal framework on discrimination strengthened<#PDF_LINK>On 1 July 2001, discrimination against job applicants with disabilities in Norway was made unlawful by amendments to the Act Relating to Workers' Protection and Working Environment (AML). Additional provisions were also incorporated in the Act to make the general ban on all forms of discrimination in the recruitment and appointment of employees more effective.
- 28 Jul 2001
Norway: New teachers' union to be established<#PDF_LINK>The creation of a new teachers' trade union was given its final approval at extraordinary national congresses of the Norwegian Union of Teachers and the Teachers' Union Norway, held in June 2001. The new merged organisation will be established on 1 January 2002, and will be Norway's third-largest union, with approximately 130,000 members.
- 28 Jul 2001
Norway: New employer and industry association created for ICT sector<#PDF_LINK>June 2001 saw the establishment of Norway's first employers' association in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector. The new organisation is called Abelia, and is a member organisation of the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO).
- 28 Jun 2001
Norway: Governor of central bank causes controversy<#PDF_LINK>In March 2001, the Bank of Norway was given greater independence in setting interest rates, with the aim of achieving an inflation target rate of 2.5%. In May, the governor of the Bank announced a policy of gradual interest rate adjustments in order to reach this target, but also warned that interest rates will be raised if pay settlements generate higher wage growth than is justifiable in the light of the 2.5% target. This statement has caused a degree of controversy among the social partners.
- 28 Jun 2001
Norway: Braathen Safe employees support takeover by SAS<#PDF_LINK>In May 2001, the SAS airline made a takeover bid for its troubled main competitor in Norway, Braathen Safe. The deal will be closely monitored by the Norwegian Competition Authority because, if approved, it will give SAS a monopoly in Norwegian civil aviation. Most Braathen Safe employees and their trade unions welcome the deal.
- 28 May 2001
Norway: Statoil to be listed on stock exchange in June 2001<#PDF_LINK>On 26 April 2001, the Norwegian parliament approved the proposed partial privatisation of the state-owned oil company, Statoil, and of the state's direct financial interest in petroleum operations. The intention is to have Statoil listed on the Oslo and New York stock exchanges in June 2001. The trade unions are divided on the privatisation issue.
- 28 May 2001
Norway: LO holds four-yearly national congress<#PDF_LINK>The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) held its four-yearly national congress in May 2001. Gerd-Liv Valla was elected as the new president - the first woman to hold the post. Delegates discussed issues such as wage and bargaining policy, working life legislation, basic agreements, working time cuts, pensions and relations with political parties, and it was decided to instigate a process of examining LO's organisational structure.
- 28 Apr 2001
Norway: Supreme Court reverses previous rulings in working time case<#PDF_LINK>In March 2001, the Norwegian Supreme Court reversed the rulings of lower courts when it found that the working day begins when employees start working, and not when they enter the main gates of their employer's premises. The case related to a dispute at the Statoil petrochemicals firm.
- 28 Apr 2001
Norway: Continued rise in management salaries threatens pay moderation<#PDF_LINK>New figures issued in March 2001 by Norway's Technical Calculating Committee on Wage Settlements show that management salaries continue to rise. Top managers in large companies saw average pay increases of 27.7% from 1999 to 2000. Many commentators believe that increases in management salaries may contribute to undermining the Norwegian policy of pay moderation.
- 28 Apr 2001
Norway: Wage growth still high<#PDF_LINK>There was a slight recovery in the Norwegian economy in 2000, according to the report of the Technical Calculating Committee on Wage Settlements, issued in March 2001. However, the tight labour market may lead to growing problems in the future in the form of a drop in productivity, and further increases in national wage growth compared with Norway's main trading partners.
- 28 Apr 2001
Norway: Public committee proposes changes to rules on mediation and strikes<#PDF_LINK>In April 2001, a public committee which had been examining the Norwegian collective bargaining system issued its report. It proposes strengthening the authority of the state mediator in a number of areas. The proposals have met with opposition from several trade unions.
- 28 Mar 2001
Norway: OECD claims that Norway needs sound macroeconomic policy<#PDF_LINK>The OECD presented its annual review of the Norwegian economy in February 2001. The report confirms that the Norwegian economy is still doing extraordinarily well, but suggests that the country is still struggling to produce a sustainable incomes policy.
- 28 Mar 2001
Norway: LO wants occupational pensions on bargaining agenda<#PDF_LINK>Prior to its national congress in May 2001, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions has signalled a wish to give priority to occupational pensions in future wage settlements in the private sector. The organisation also wants to see a strengthening of the national insurance pensions scheme, through measures including the earmarking of the national oil fund for future pension obligations.
- 28 Feb 2001
Norway: New reports show no exaggeration of employment data<#PDF_LINK>Following a high-profile controversy in October 2000 about the exaggeration of employment data by the Norwegian Labour Market Administration, a clean-up operation was initiated. Two independent reports published in February 2001 show that since the clean-up started there has not been any deliberate attempt to exaggerate data, nor significant numbers of false registrations.
- 28 Jan 2001
Norway: No general right to retain employer in transfers<#PDF_LINK>In December 2000, the Norwegian Supreme Court ruled in two appeal cases that there is no general right for employees to retain employment with their original employer in cases of outsourcing or change of ownership. There are, however, exceptions to this general rule.
- 28 Jan 2001
Norway: New occupational pension regulations in force<#PDF_LINK>New regulations related to occupational pensions came into effect in Norway on 1 January 2001. The most significant change is that companies may now receive tax allowances in connection with "defined-contribution" pension plans. The development of such plans is generally welcomed by the social partners.
- 28 Jan 2001
Norway: Controversial health sector reform proposed<#PDF_LINK>On 18 January 2000, the Norwegian Minister of Health presented a government proposal for a wide-scale reform of the public health sector. The proposed reform is controversial in industrial relations terms because it includes a decentralisation of employer's responsibilities to individual hospitals.