Norway

The three national trade union confederations called a national political strike on 28 January in protest at government plans to weaken important elements of the Work Environment Act. Along with the strike action, the confederations organised demonstrations in hundreds of towns and cities across the country. The unions are concerned about four key changes: telaxation of the rules on temporary contracts; an increase in the limits on contractual overtime; a change in the treatment of working on Sunday so that it becomes almost a normal working day; and removal of the right to take collective

Trade unions in the LO blue-collar confederation report positive results from the extension of collective agreements in some sectors. The extension means that agreements cover employers even if they are not members of employer organisations that have signed up to agreement. A majority of responses to a survey indicate that extending collective agreements has been beneficial and that trade union officers have been able to use their rights under these agreements to get information on pay and conditions in sub-contracting. So far agreements in construction, shipbuilding, agriculture and cleaning

Public sector union Fagforbundet has set out the main themes for the forthcoming bargaining round, noting that a recent report has highlighted the positive outcomes from the system of coordinated bargaining. The union is looking to maintain purchasing power; taking action to close the gender pay gap and tackle low pay; reinforce the right to credit for competence, including supplementary and special education, qualifications and management responsibilities; reinforce the right to full employment and permanent employment; increase payments for work during unsocial hours; and further issues

Unions in the municipal sector have broken off negotiations with the employers after there was a failure to make any progress on key demands. The unions argue that the employers' offer is inadequate, fails to address inequalities in pay and that the employers want too much of any pay increase to be awarded at local level. The unions also say there has been no agreement on pensions reform. [Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)->http://www.fagforbundet.no/tema/Tariffoppgjoret-2014/?article_id=112081] [And at > YS Kommune (NO)->http://www.ys.no/kunder/ys/cms.nsf/%28$All%29

Several trade unions in the public sector are involved in strike action that began on Thursday 24 May after attempts at mediation in pay negotiations failed. The unions involved are coordinating their action and gradually increasing the number of workers coming out on strike. At the centre of the dispute are the unions’ efforts to ensure that pay increases in the public sector are in line with those in the private sector. [Read more at > news website (EN)->http://www.newsinenglish.no/2012/05/25/nationwide-strike-set-to-spread/] [And at > Fagforbundet (NO)->http://www.fagforbundet.no/] [And at

Public sector unions called off their strike action earlier this month after securing a better pay offer from employers in the municipal and state sectors. Along with a general annual increase of NOK 1200 (€1600), there also higher payments for weekend work and guarantees of equal treatment for temporary workers. The unions say that the increase will keep public sector pay in line with the private sector. [Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)->http://www.fagforbundet.no/forsida/?article_id=93472] [And at > YS Stat (NO)->http://ys.no/kunder/ys/cms.nsf/%28$All%29/06CAF9D18704ABCEC1257A110014433F