Norway
This year’s 4.5% pay increase for municipal workers is the highest of the main industrial sectors in Norway. The increase was actually negotiated last year as part of a two-year agreement. The next highest increases came in business (4.4%) and health (4.0%), followed by central government (3.8%).
Read more at > LO trade union news (NO)
Public sector unions met with government representatives for the first time since the general election with a view to maintaining continuity in the discussions over pay, jobs and services in the public sector. The general pay increase for public employees is set at 3% for 2009 with those employed by the general state administration getting 3.875%. However, unions have called for this to be reviewed towards the end of the year in the light of increasing inflation. The unions also expressed concern at government plans to cut jobs in response to current economic difficulties. They argued that in
