The annual round of pay-related negotiations between the LO union confederation and NHO, the national employers’ organization, has begun, with both sides hoping to reach a negotiated agreement before the 1 April deadline (Afterwards, the state arbitrators would be required to intervene). Norwegian media have predicted a relatively calm negotiation period, although there are still issues that could lead to the involvement of state arbitration. This year’s negotiations are midway the 2010-2012 period, meaning that only the issue of wages is officially on the table. LO President Roar Flåthen has expressed that the unions’ priorities during the negotiations would be the low-paid and the issue of equal wages – meaning a particular focus on low-paid women. Regarding temporary agency work, following relevations about questionable working practices of temp agency Adecco, Flåthen stated that permanent employment should remain the norm and the use of temp work the exception.
English: http://www.newsinenglish.no/2011/03/21/national-wage-negotiations …
http://theforeigner.no/pages/news/labour-inspectorate-scrutinizes-staffing-industry/
This article was published in the Collective Bargaining Newsletter. It aims to facilitate information exchange between trade unions and to support the work of ETUC's collective bargaining committee. For more information, please contact the editor Maarten van Klaveren, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies (AIAS) M.vanKlaveren@uva.nl. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org, and on the AIAS at www.uva-aias.net. © ETUI aisbl, Brussels 2011.