During late May 2002, several new collective agreements were concluded in the bargaining area covering 'semi-privatised' organisations, represented by the NAVO employers' body. The new agreements were all concluded with the assistance of the state mediator, and the negotiations were reported to have been complex and demanding.
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.
During late May 2002, several new collective agreements were concluded in the bargaining area covering 'semi-privatised' organisations, represented by the NAVO employers' body. The new agreements were all concluded with the assistance of the state mediator, and the negotiations were reported to have been complex and demanding.
On 31 May 2002, the state mediator's proposal for a new agreement covering the hospitals sector was approved by all the major trade unions concerned. Earlier in May, agreements were reached for the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) and Norway Post (Posten Norge AS). The hospitals sector, NSB and Norway Post are all new members of NAVO (NO0108139F), having being transferred from the state sector (in the case of NSB and Norway Post) and from the municipal or state sector (in the case of hospitals). The structure of agreements within the NAVO sector differs in significant ways from that of public sector agreements, notably being more decentralised. NAVO and the trade unions therefore had to develop a new agreement structure for the organisations newly represented by NAVO, in addition to renegotiating wage levels and economic terms. The fact that nurses in the newly acquired state-run hospitals took strike action earlier in 2002 over pay only added to the pressure at the start of the negotiations (NO0203103N).
As anticipated prior to the wage settlements, most employees in the hospitals obtained significant wage increases. The negotiations in the hospitals sector were particularly difficult since there were three existing agreements (for the municipal sector, state sector and municipality of Oslo) that had to be renegotiated and merged into one. However, despite all these difficulties the parties managed, with the help of the state mediator, to conclude an agreement within a framework of a 6% increases in costs. It includes a general annual pay increase of NOK 6,000 for all employees. However, many groups will receive much more. Among these are nurses, who can expect an average annual rise of NOK 23,000, with an average increase of NOK 41,000 for specialist nurses. Substantial rises were also given to low-wage groups. In addition, the nurses' union entered a 'productivity agreement' with NAVO, whereby the union agreed to permit local agreements that allow for more overtime work than is permitted by the Worker Protection and Working Environment Act (AML). The aim of the agreement is to make it easier to manage the complicated working hours systems in hospitals. Nurses who agree to work more flexible hours/more overtime will receive additional wage increases.
Employees at Norway Post have been awarded a minimum annual pay increase of NOK 9,000, and some employees achieved increases of up to NOK 18,000. At NSB, all employees will receive an increase of NOK 10,000. The present wage system was not changed, but the parties will consider changes before the next negotiations in 2004. The main obstacle to reaching an agreement in both companies was the issue of changes to working time regulations and compensation for work carried out outside 'normal' working hours. The employer side wanted more flexible working hours and changes in the financial compensation for 'inconvenient' working hours. However, the employers conceded to trade union pressure and no changes were thus made.
Pensions were an issue in all three agreements. Traditionally, occupational pension schemes are more generous in the public sector than in many parts of the private sector (NO0103125F). They form part of collective agreements in both the state and the municipal sector. The unions in the former state- or municipally-owned enterprises feared that their pension arrangements would be undermined as a result of the transfer to NAVO, and an important demand was thus to keep their present pension rights and to include these in the new collective agreements. The parties agreed that the present occupational pension arrangements should be continued, at least for the time being. However, at Norway Post and NSB the pensions issue is to be considered by the parties before the 2004 negotiations.
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Eurofound (2002), New agreements concluded in NAVO sector, article.
