Norway
Negotiations over a new local government agreement have been broken off and now move into mediation. Among the key union demands are a general increase with a higher increase on the lowest salaries along with increased supplements for working anti-social hours. They also want to seen managers' salaries kept in proportion to employees' wages.
Read more at > Fagforbundet (NO)
And at > YS Kommune (NO)
Negotiations over reforms to the pension system broke down before Easter and a process of arbitration was due to start after the holidays. Employers are looking for changes to the current system that allows workers to retire up to five years earlier than the official retirement age of 67. Read more at > Aftenposten news website (EN)
Despite a major strike across the public transport network involving 500,000 workers, in the lead up to the third round of bargaining, federal and local government employer organisations failed to come up with an improved pay offer for the 2.5 million employees covered by the agreement. Ver.di and the other unions involved in the negotiations had been seeking a 10.5% pay rise with a minimum increase of €500 which they argue is essential to protect the purchasing power of those on lower and medium rates of pay. The breakdown in negotiations will mean the process moves to mediation.
