The Technical Calculating Committee on Wage Settlements (Det tekniske beregningsutvalg for inntektsoppgjørene, TBU) published a preliminary report on wage developments in 2001 on 25 January 2002. The TBU is made up of representatives of the main trade union confederations and employers' organisations, along with the relevant ministries and Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå, SSB). Its report, which is presented prior to each wage bargaining round, constitutes an important basis for the negotiations.
Norwegian wages increased by an average of almost 5 % from 2000 to 2001, according to figures published by the Technical Calculating Committee on Wage Settlements in January 2002. The highest wage rises were among teachers, at 8%, while employees in the municipal sector received only a 3.5% increase.
The Technical Calculating Committee on Wage Settlements (Det tekniske beregningsutvalg for inntektsoppgjørene, TBU) published a preliminary report on wage developments in 2001 on 25 January 2002. The TBU is made up of representatives of the main trade union confederations and employers' organisations, along with the relevant ministries and Statistics Norway (Statistisk sentralbyrå, SSB). Its report, which is presented prior to each wage bargaining round, constitutes an important basis for the negotiations.
According to TBU, the average wage growth for 2001 was just below 5%. Moreover, a majority of Norwegian employees were awarded an extra two days of annual leave in 2001 (NO0005192F). On average, the increase in real income after taxation was 1.75%, which was slightly higher than in the previous year. Price growth in 2001 was 3%.
As in 2000 (NO0104128F), teachers and other educational personnel at the primary and secondary school level witnessed a much higher wage growth than most other groups, at 8% - see the table below. This may partly be explained by the fact that teachers received extra wage increases in 2001, rather than the extra holidays awarded to other groups (NO0006194F). Furthermore, an agreement was concluded in 2000 on changes to teachers' working hours, which also involved wage increases in 2001.
The municipal sector was the bargaining area with the lowest wage growth rate in 2001, at 3.5%. Whereas in 2000 the difference between the wage growth of blue-collar workers and white-collar workers in manufacturing industry was minor, wage growth in 2001 was significantly higher for white-collar workers than for blue-collar workers. Manufacturing industry blue-collar workers in companies affiliated to the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (Næringslivets Hovedorganisasjon, NHO) experienced wage growth of 4.75%, while the wages of white-collar workers in the same companies grew by 5.25%.
| . | 1999-2000 | 2000-2001 | Annual average growth 1996-2001 | Average annual wages 2000 (NOK) |
| Blue-collar workers, NHO companies * | 4.5 | 4.75 | 4.6 | 253,900 |
| White-collar workers, NHO companies ** | 4.7 | 5.25 | 5.2 | 352,600 |
| Wholesale and retail trade (companies affiliated to HSH) ** | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 258,100 |
| Banking sector ** | 5.4 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 328,400 |
| State employees * | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.9 | 284,400 |
| Municipal employees * | 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.5 | 250,400 |
| Schools (educational personnel) * | 6.0 | 8.0 | 6.0 | 284,300 |
Source: TBU 2002.
* Per person-year, part-time employees recalculated into full-time equivalents.
** Full-time employees only.
HSH = Federation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises (Handels- og Servicenæringens Hovedorganisasjon).
According to TBU, the average annual wage in 2000 (full-time positions) was NOK 279,000. However, this varied from NOK 250,400 in the municipal sector to NOK 352,600 among white-collar employees in NHO-affiliated manufacturing companies. On average, blue-collar workers in NHO-affiliated companies had an annual wage of NOK 253,900 in 2000.
The 'carry-over effect' from 2001 to 2002 - ie the effects on 2002 wage levels of wage increases awarded in 2001 - is 1.75%. The carry-over effect is normally taken into consideration when new agreements are renegotiated.
The TBU also considers pay developments with regard to the competitiveness of Norwegian industry. It estimates that hourly wage compensation costs for 2001 were higher in Norway than among its main trading partners, due to factors such as increased annual leave. The TBU report finds that Norwegian hourly wage compensation costs increased by 5.5% in 2001, compared with approximately 4% among its main trading partners. The estimates suggest that blue-collar wage costs in Norwegian industry in 2000 were 17% above the average among Norway's main trading partners. However, these differences between Norwegian and foreign wage levels are reduced when white-collar wages are also taken into account. Hourly wage compensation costs have increased significantly more in Norway than among its main trading partners since the mid-1990s. However, the Norwegian krone's weak exchange rate has contributed to cushioning the effects on Norway's competitiveness for most of the period.
Το Eurofound συνιστά την παραπομπή σε αυτή τη δημοσίευση με τον ακόλουθο τρόπο.
Eurofound (2002), Wages rose by 5% in 2001, article.
