Energy sector dispute settled

Trade unions representing employees of the regional government in Berlin are backing a series of strikes by different groups of workers in support of a new pay agreement. Berlin is not part of the regional government employers' association and so the agreement covering regional government workers does not apply. The unions point out that this means that most regional government workers around the country have received a 2.9% pay increase this year while there has also been a 2.4% increase agreed by the Hessen regional government which is also not part of the national employers' association

Strike action in the energy sector has been avoided following arbitration to resolve a dispute over pay and pensions. The new agreement sees pay generally rise by NOK 2195 (€270) with a 3.3% increase on the minimum wage in the sector. The main issue in the dispute was pensions and the question as to whether local arrangements could be agreed on pensions. The agreement involves setting up a committee to look into how this will be incorporated into the sector agreement. [Read more at > EL&IT (NO)->http://www.elogit.no/id/16065.0] [And at > Fagforbundet (NO)->http://www.fagforbundet.no/?article