There will be no major strike in the municipalities. The mediation in the public sector has been going on since Saturday morning. Over twelve hours of overtime, the parties together could tell that the announced general strike had been averted.
The main associations LO, Unio, YS and Akademikerne have negotiated with KS about this year’s wage settlement. The parties reached an agreement on Tuesday afternoon – over half a day of overtime.
The agreement has a framework of 3.84 percent wage growth. It will give all employees a central supplement of between 12,000 and 16,800 kroner, depending on education level and seniority.
Beginners’ salaries get a solid boost
– We have received an acceptable settlement that is above the front subject and we have received support for several requirements that are important to our members, says head of YS Municipality Lizzie Ruud Thorkildsen in a press release.
The mediation in the municipal settlement ended with an agreement just over 13 hours of overtime on Tuesday. The deadline originally expired at midnight Tuesday night.
– We have achieved a comprehensive result that makes up for some of the financial backlog from last year, says Ruud Thorkildsen who is also the union leader in Delta, in the press release.
YS writes that skilled workers receive NOK 14,300 in wage supplements, and those with a three-year college a minimum of NOK 14,700 in wage supplements. Beginners’ salaries in the municipal sector will also be given a solid boost. Now a newly qualified skilled worker will receive 25,300 more in annual salary while a newly qualified social worker will receive 35,600 more in annual salary.
Also read: Solution in the electrician settlement – strike averted
Sier nei
The Norwegian Association of Lecturers says no to the mediator’s proposal for a solution. The case is now being sent to the central board, they write in a press release.
– The proposal from the mediator does not provide sufficient real wage growth, and the backlog is too large, says Helle Christin Nyhuus, leader of the Norwegian Lecturers’ Association.
She says that the central board will, in consultation with the county leaders, take a position on the Ombudsman’s proposal.
If the central board rejects the national mediator’s proposal for a solution, the Associate Professor team goes on strike alone at a time determined by the national mediator.
– We expected far better wage growth for senior lecturers after two years of real wage declines. There is still a large backlog for our members. Furthermore, the price increase will probably be higher than estimated when we entered this year’s settlement. Therefore, we said no to the mediator’s proposal, says Nyhuus.
Danger of teacher strike
The Education Association voted blank in the wage settlement, which means that there could be a teacher strike.
– KS once again downgrades the school system. This is a pure provocation. Teachers’ salaries have been downgraded in both the short and long term. KS was responsible for the teachers getting decided at least last year as well. This is happening at the same time as 20 per cent of those who teach in the country’s schools lack teacher education. KS does not take responsibility for the school system at all, says union leader Steffen Handal, reports NTB.
Also read: Agreement in the bus settlement on overtime – strike is avoided
– Stretched far
KS, which is the municipal sector’s interest and employer organization in Norway, says in a press release that they stretched as far as is justifiable.
– We are pleased that LO, Unio, YS and Akademikerne recommend the Ombudsman’s proposal for a solution. The result contributes to the municipalities still being able to offer good services, says working life director in KS, Tor Arne Gangsø in the press release.
The new agreement includes:
- Increased remuneration for shift work weekends, evenings and nights. This will be implemented from 1 January 2023.
- Extra krone supplement of between 4,500 and 7,000 kroner for selected job groups with long seniority, mainly teachers. This will be implemented from 1 January 2023.
- Higher starting salary for newly graduated employees with vocational or college education. All work experience will be included in the seniority. Therefore, the two lowest steps are removed, and the starting salary will be what today corresponds to four years’ seniority. This can total supplements up to 36,000 kroner. This is important for the municipalities’ recruitment of attractive labor.
- With this agreement, newly qualified teachers and others with five years of education receive a starting salary of at least NOK 563,800.
- Newly qualified nurses, and others with three years of education, will receive a starting salary of at least NOK 459,100 with this agreement.
- Clearer wording that employees should receive a salary deduction for relevant continuing and further education.
– We are particularly pleased that we have found better solutions for evening and weekend work for nurses, health professionals and others who work shifts. It will help to recruit and retain employees in the health and care sector in the municipalities. It is also positive that the solution values teachers with the longest seniority. Our clear goal in this settlement has precisely been for the municipalities to be able to recruit, mobilize and retain employees, so that they can continue to offer the inhabitants high-quality services, says Gangsø in the press release.
KS sends the mediation solution for a referendum in the municipalities, with a deadline of 22 June.
Increased inflation
Figures from Statistics Norway showed a total price increase from February 2021 to February 2022 of 3.7 per cent. It is, however 3.3 per cent, which was the revised estimate from the Technical Calculation Committee (TBU) for what inflation will be this year.
The revised figure for inflation is seen as the lower limit for wage growth and is intended to ensure wage earners real wage growth:
That wages rise more than prices. This is what the employee organizations expect.
The agreement LO, Unio, YS and Akademikerne have negotiated, thus has a framework of 3.84 percent wage growth. It is still lower than inflation growth was between April 2021 and April 2022, then the change in the CPI – the total inflation – was 5.4 per cent.
The consumer price index
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) describes the development in consumer prices for goods and services that are in demand by private households living in Norway. The change in the CPI is a common measure of inflation.
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