Industry-level negotiations commence

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Norway's 1998 industry-level wage negotiations commenced on 20 March when the United Federation of Trade Unions handed over its demands for the agreement covering the metalworking industry. The negotiations are not expected to be finalised before around 20 April.

The 1998 industry-level wage negotiations (NO9802150F) commenced on 20 March when the United Federation of Trade Unions (Fellesforbundet) presented its claim for the metalworking industry agreement to its counterpart on the employer side, the Federation of Norwegian Engineering Industries (Teknologibedriftenes Landsforening, TBL). The negotiations between Fellesforbundet and TBL cover approximately 40,000 employees, and metalworking is the largest single bargaining unit within the private sector. When bargaining takes place at industry level, tradition has it that the metalworking industry is the first to bargain and that the results in this sector are normally seen as guidelines for the other agreements. The metalworking negotiations are expected to last for approximately one month, and hence any industrial conflict is unlikely prior to 20 April. The negotiations covering the other private sector bargaining units will commence during the latter half of March and the first half of April.

For the 1998 settlement, Fellesforbundet has demanded an increase in purchasing power for all of its member groups. The union also wants to extend employees' rights to short-term leave for welfare reasons, and is demanding paid time off on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve. The employers' organisation, TBL, would like to make it possible to define working hours over a longer reference period than is the case at present, and hence reduce overtime costs. TBL would also like to see increased local sovereignty over working time agreements, as well as changes to the rules governing the use of piecework. In addition, TBL would like to see the rules guaranteeing a wage level linked to average earnings within the agreement area, abolished. The parties have established five working groups which are to seek solutions for the different bargaining issues.

Fellesforbundet has also presented its claim for the building sector, demanding a sizeable increase in minimum wage rates. At present, average wage levels within this sector exceed the minimum rates. According to Fellesforbundet's deputy leader, Jens Petter Jensen, the union would like to ensure that the members will not face significant wage reductions if the present favourable economic conditions within the sector cease. In addition, Fellesforbundet would also like to ensure that work which is contracted out is paid according to the rates agreed upon in the building industry wage agreement.