Norwegian metalworkers reach deal

NORWAY: The IMF-affiliated Fellesforbundet reached an agreement early today, April 9, with the national employers' organisation, TBL, for this year's collective bargaining in the metal industry, and thus averts strike action. According to the union, the pact offers a good and balanced result, with a substantial real wage increase, which was a key issue in the bargaining. The agreement, valid from April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2004, includes a general wage hike of NOK 2.75 (US$ 0.3158) per hour, or approximately NOK 5,360 (US$ 616) per year, with terms varying among sectors. The union estimates that the total value of the agreement will be in the area of a 4 to 5 per cent wage increase. Later this year, Fellesforbundet members in all workplaces in the metal sector will bargain for further wage increases locally. Although employers attempted to change normal working time restrictions, these have been kept intact. It was agreed that collective pension schemes, another key issue in the bargaining, will be discussed thoroughly at each workplace during 2002 and that results of the discussions will be taken up in a collective bargaining round in 2003. A protocol to the agreement offers a good basis for the development of a collective pension scheme according to the goals set out in Fellesforbundet's demands. Members will vote on the agreement on April 26, with results to be announced on April 30.