Norway
Background information on industrial relations in Norway
- 20 Dec 2002
Norway: Relationship between LO and Labour Party under debate<#PDF_LINK>The close relationship between the Norwegian Labour Party (DnA) and the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) was on the agenda at DnA's national conference in November 2002. The formal ties between the two organisations are becoming increasingly controversial, and delegates at the conference stressed the need to develop less formal channels of communication and cooperation.
- 03 Dec 2002
Norway: Smoking ban proposed to protect employees in bars and restaurants<#PDF_LINK>In November 2002, the Minister of Health presented a government proposal for a total ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in Norway. Stricter legislative measures to combat passive smoking in bars and restaurants have long been an important priority for trade unions in the catering sector. If approved by parliament, the ban will come into effect on 1 January 2004.
- 26 Nov 2002
Norway: Labour Court rules in pension transfer case<#PDF_LINK>In October 2002, the Norwegian Labour Court ruled that the transfer of occupational pension schemes from the municipally owned insurance company KLP to private insurance companies, which was carried out by 11 municipalities in 1998, was contrary to the Basic Collective Agreement in the municipal sector. The 11 municipalities involved have until 1 July 2003 to make sure that their pension schemes satisfy the requirements of the collective agreement with regard to the type of financing.
- 21 Nov 2002
Norway: Major union merger in municipal sector<#PDF_LINK>A new public sector trade union will be established in summer 2003 when the Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees (NKF) and the Norwegian Association of Health and Social Care Personnel (NHS) merge. The new organisation will have some 280,000 members, making it Norway's largest trade union.
- 05 Nov 2002
Norway: Social partners discuss future cooperation on incomes policy<#PDF_LINK>In late October 2002, Norway's main social partner organisations met, at the government's invitation, to discuss future cooperation on incomes policy. At the meeting, the parties reached a general understanding about the need for continued cooperation and coordination to reduce the wage growth rate in the Norwegian economy, and agreed to set up a new forum to examine the future of wage formation and incomes policy.
- 28 Oct 2002
Norway: Tight state budget proposed for 2003<#PDF_LINK>The 2003 state budget proposal put forward by the Norwegian government in October 2002 is in many quarters regarded as tight in terms of spending. The proposal has been criticised by political parties both to the right and left of the centre-right coalition government as well as by the trade unions. Employers, on the other hand, are by and large satisfied with the proposed budget.
- 28 Oct 2002
Norway: Committee reviews legal framework for working life<#PDF_LINK>In autumn 2002, a public committee is reviewing the Norwegian Act relating to Worker Protection and the Working Environment, and is to put forward a proposal for new legislation relating to working life by 1 December 2003. The purposes of the committee's work include simplifying and modernising the Act in areas such as working time, temporary employment, the psycho-social/organisational work environment, and the respective roles of law, collective agreements and individual agreements.
- 24 Oct 2002
Norway: ECHR rejects compulsory arbitration case<#PDF_LINK>The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decided in June 2002 to rule inadmissible a complaint brought against the Norwegian government by the Norwegian Federation of Offshore Workers’ Trade Unions. Although the case was not tried in depth, this development is nevertheless significant in that it is the first time that Norway’s practice of compulsory arbitration in industrial disputes has been considered by the ECHR.
- 23 Oct 2002
Norway: LO unions plan major merger<#PDF_LINK>In autumn 2002, a number of trade unions affiliated to the LO confederation are considering a possible merger to create a single large union, which would include both private and public transport and might also be extended to cover other parts of the private service sector.
- 24 Sep 2002
Norway: Public committee outlines future direction of new pensions system<#PDF_LINK>A public committee issued its preliminary report on the future of the Norwegian pensions system in September 2002. It sets out a number of principles on which a reform of the present system should be based, and outlines two different models for a future system. The report will provide the basis for debate in parliament.
- 11 Sep 2002
Norway: Incomes policy under debate<#PDF_LINK>Cost increases and redundancies following the spring 2002 wage settlement in industry placed the issue of incomes policy cooperation on the Norwegian industrial relations agenda once again in September 2002, with the government calling a meeting with the social partners to discuss the issue. While the LO trade union confederation and NHO employers' organisation have discussed measures to support crisis-hit manufacturing industry, the other union organisations have some misgivings.
- 11 Sep 2002
Norway: Government proposes relaxation of overtime rules<#PDF_LINK>In June 2002, the Norwegian government put before parliament a proposal for the relaxation of the current legislative provisions governing overtime work. Both trade unions and the Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority have raised concerns about the effects of the proposed changes on the health and well-being of employees.
- 13 Aug 2002
Norway: Footballers take strike action<#PDF_LINK>On 23 June 2002, some 200 players in the Norwegian football league's two highest divisions took part in Norway's first football strike. The action arose from a dispute over issues including players' contracts and occupational injury insurance.
- 13 Aug 2002
Norway: Sickness absence continues to increase<#PDF_LINK>New figures issued in summer 2002 show that the sickness absence rate continues to rise in Norway, despite an October 2001 agreement between the social partners and government aimed at reducing the rate by 20% by 2005.
- 29 Jul 2002
Norway: Government issues action plan to combat ethnic discrimination<#PDF_LINK>In July 2002, Norway's centre-right coalition government issued aplan of action against racism and ethnic discrimination, which aims to combat racism and ethnic discrimination in all areas, including working life. On of the more controversial measures proposed is to make adherence to the principle of non-discrimination a precondition for all subcontractors and suppliers of goods and services to state institutions.
- 02 Jul 2002
Norway: Crisis hits Norwegian civil aviation<#PDF_LINK>The terrorist attacks on the USA on 11 September 2001 hit Norwegian civil aviation hard. The period from September 2001 to early summer 2002 have seen significant reductions in passenger numbers and a dramatic loss of income for most airlines, with substantial redundancies. The crisis was also instrumental in bringing about the controversial takeover by SAS, the largest airline in Norway, of Braathens, the second-largest.
- 01 Jul 2002
Norway: 2002 bargaining brings high wage increases and few conflicts<#PDF_LINK>Most Norwegian collective agreements were renegotiated in the first half of 2002. The new agreements in the private, public and semi-public sectors generate annual wage increases of between 5% and 6% in most cases. There was little industrial conflict during the bargaining round.
- 17 Jun 2002
Norway: New agreements concluded in NAVO sector<#PDF_LINK>On 31 May 2002, a state mediator's proposal for a new collective agreement for the Norwegian hospitals sector was approved by all the major trade unions concerned. New agreements had already been concluded in other parts of bargaining area for semi-privatised organisations covered by the NAVO employers' body.
- 11 Jun 2002
Norway: No merger between NHO and HSH<#PDF_LINK>In May 2002, it was announced that the planned merger between NHO and HSH, Norway's two largest private sector employers' confederations, will not go ahead.
- 11 Jun 2002
Norway: Corporate merger in finance sector<#PDF_LINK>In late May 2002, Norway's two largest financial institutions, DnB and Storebrand, announced their intention to merge to create one of the largest financial services groups in Scandinavia. It is thought that up to 1,000 jobs may be lost as a result.
- 23 May 2002
Norway: No changes proposed to labour disputes legislation<#PDF_LINK>In March 2002, the Norwegian government issued proposals for amendments to the legislation relating to labour disputes. The government proposes only minor modifications and does not recommend any changes to the present legal framework in areas such as bargaining, mediation and ballots over mediation proposals, which have been the subject of substantial debate in recent years.
- 29 Apr 2002
Norway: Trade unions find new ways to attract members<#PDF_LINK>In the face of declining membership and financial difficulties there is an increasing awareness among Norwegian trade unions of the need to modernise their organisations in order to adapt and improve services to their members, as well as to recruit new members. Two trade union initiatives launched in 2002 seek to use new technologies to recruit and communicate with new members, or to contact non-unionised employees. Both are aimed at younger employees working in information and communications technologies.
- 26 Apr 2002
Norway: Private sector bargaining produces significant wage increases<#PDF_LINK>April 2002 saw the conclusion of a new collective agreement in the trend-setting Norwegian engineering industry, which was followed by settlements in a number of other private sector bargaining units. There was, however, a strike in the hotel and restaurant sector and industrial action may also occur in transport if no agreement is reached. The wage settlements have been rather higher than expected, though there has been little progress on trade union demands for the introduction of occupational pensions.
- 10 Apr 2002
Norway: Gender Equality Act to be strengthened<#PDF_LINK>A number of amendments to the Gender Equality Act were due to be adopted by the Norwegian parliament in April 2002. The changes mainly relate to equality in working life, covering matters such as an obligation on companies to report on equal opportunities, equal pay for work of equal value and banning sexual harassment.
- 27 Mar 2002
Norway: Government wants more women on company boards<#PDF_LINK>The Norwegian government approved in March 2002 measures to increase the number of women on the boards of private and public companies. Within a year, at least 40% of the board members in state-owned enterprises must be women. A 40% quota will also be imposed by law in private companies in 2005, if this level of women's representation has not been achieved voluntarily by then.
- 27 Mar 2002
Norway: Nurses strike ends in compulsory arbitration<#PDF_LINK>On 5 March 2002, the Norwegian government announced that it would ask parliament to pass compulsory arbitration legislation to end a national strike by nurses. The strike, which had begun on 22 January, ended immediately.
- 21 Mar 2002
Norway: 2001 Annual Review for Norway<#PDF_LINK>This record reviews 2001's main developments in industrial relations in Norway.
- 17 Mar 2002
Norway: Suspense as 2002 bargaining round approaches<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) issued its demands for the spring bargaining round. The 2002 wage settlement will see all the current two-year national sectoral collective agreements renegotiated, and the outcome is awaited with some suspense, not least in the public sector, where a number of groups have warned of significant pay demands. Furthermore, employers are seeking a decentralisation of bargaining.
- 13 Mar 2002
Norway: Government proposes relaxing overtime regulations<#PDF_LINK>In February 2002, the Norwegian government made public proposals to relax current legislative provisions concerning overtime work, to exempt senior managers from the employment protection provisions of the Act on worker protection and the working environment, and to deregulate shop opening hours.
- 12 Mar 2002
Norway: NHO and HSH consider merger<#PDF_LINK>A merger of Norway's two largest private sector industry and employers' confederations, the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO) and the Federation of Norwegian Commercial and Service Enterprises (HSH), may result from deliberations initiated by the two organisations' governing bodies in February 2002. The aim is to have the new organisation formally established on 1 January 2003.
- 26 Feb 2002
Norway: Controversial plan for modernisation of public sector<#PDF_LINK>In January 2002, the Norwegian government put before parliament a plan to modernise and increase efficiency in the public sector. Several of the measures proposed have been met with scepticism by both public sector trade unions and political parties to the left of the centre-right government.
- 08 Feb 2002
Norway: Hospital nurses on strike<#PDF_LINK>Nurses in Norwegian public hospitals launched strike action on 22 January 2002 following the breakdown of pay negotiations between their trade union, NSF, and the NAVO employers' association. Around 200 nurses were initially called out on strike but, with no agreement in sight by early February, the action has gradually been extended.
- 06 Feb 2002
Norway: Wages rose by 5% in 2001<#PDF_LINK>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.
- 30 Jan 2002
Norway: New union confederation established<#PDF_LINK>On 1 January 2002, a new trade union confederation, known as UHO, was established in Norway. The new confederation, made up of five mainly public sector unions for higher-qualified staff, will represent its 215,000 members in the 2002 collective bargaining round.
- 18 Jan 2002
Norway: Nurses in public hospitals issue strike warning<#PDF_LINK>The Norwegian Union of Registered Nurses has signalled its intention to take strike action in public hospitals from 22 January 2002 onwards. The union wants to see the wage level of its members raised considerably in connection with the transfer of public hospitals from the municipal sector to the state sector on 1 January 2002.