Re-elected coalition government agree new political platform

The parliamentary election in the autumn of 2009 gave the centre-left coalition government a mandate to continue its work. The three parties that make up the coalition government have agreed on a political platform which encompasses continued efforts against social dumping, the continuation of the agreement for an inclusive working life, and conditional support for an equal pay package with financial support from the state.

In September 2009, Norway held its parliamentary elections. The incumbent government – composed of the Norwegian Labour Party (Det norske Arbeiderparti, DnA), the Centre Party (Senterpartiet, SP) and the Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti, SV) – received a continued majority in parliament (Stortinget), maintaining the coalition government of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (NO0510103F). The parties of the coalition government gained a majority following an election campaign where the outcome was completely open until the final day. The largest of the coalition parties, DnA, strengthened its position at the expense of its coalition partner SV.

Following the election, the three coalition parties agreed on a new political platform (in Norwegian), which will form the basis of the government’s efforts for the next four years.

Main aspects of political platform

In the labour market area, the political platform is influenced by the fact that a number of the trade unions’ priority demands are to be met as follows.

• Firstly, the government will continue its efforts against social dumping by strengthening the ability of the Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidstilsynet) to monitor and control working life, and ensure that the opportunity to make collective agreements generally applicable is exploited where relevant. The government also wants to establish tripartite industry programmes to counter substandard employment practices, social dumping and working environment problems in industries that are particularly vulnerable to such problems.

• Secondly, the government has promised to preserve established workers’ rights in the present national sick pay scheme, and to further develop the agreement on an inclusive working life.

• Thirdly, the government has pledged to strengthen efforts against involuntary part-time work and to consider the introduction of new legislation to this end. The government will also work to limit temporary employment.

A central issue on the agenda prior to the impending wage settlement in the spring of 2010 is that of a state-financed ‘equal pay pot’ seeking to reduce the wage gap between women and men (NO0911019I). The government emphasises that it is up to the social partners themselves to reach agreement on the occupations to be given priority in the allocation of this equal pay pot. Moreover, they must reach an agreement preventing compensation claims from other groups. Under these conditions, the government will ‘enter into a dialogue with the social partners on equal pay’ as early as the wage settlement talks set to take place in 2010.

Social partner response

The government’s political programme for the period 2009–2013 has largely received a positive response from trade union organisations. The specific measures proposed also reflect the efforts made by the trade unions prior to the general elections – in particular, by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge, LO) – to place important issues on the government’s agenda. Such issues include combating involuntary part-time work, the use of temporary employees, substandard employment practices, as well as social dumping. LO’s leadership, along with many of its rank and file shop stewards, also worked actively to secure a red-green election victory (NO0906049I).

However, the statements in relation to equal pay have generated criticisms from some female-dominated trade unions. They want the government to identify the necessary priorities in the allocation of the special pay pot. The Norwegian Nurses’ Organisation (Norsk Sykepleierforbund, NSF) is critical of what it sees as the government’s failure to go far enough in determining how a potential equal pay pot is to be distributed. NSF argues that the equal pay challenge has not been solved through the existing collective bargaining system and that it is necessary for the state to adopt a more active role. Other trade union organisations, including LO and the Confederation of Vocational Unions (Yrkesorganisasjonenes Sentralforbund, YS), highlight that the government should not intervene in collective bargaining.

The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (Næringslivets Hovedorganisasjon, NHO), which is the largest employer organisation in the private sector, is positive about the government’s proposal for a tripartite cooperative initiative seeking to reduce substandard employment practices in vulnerable sectors. However, it warns against the polemical use of the term ‘social dumping’. The employer organisation is also pleased to see that a solution to the equal pay challenge now lies with the social partners and does not depend on ‘a government dictate on how to deal with the equal pay issue’ (see Press release (in Norwegian)). In addition, NHO and several of its member associations welcome the promises made by the government on business and industrial policy, although they are also calling for increased efforts in individual areas.

Kristine Nergaard, Fafo