Many have missed that the politicians are speaking out about the teachers’ strike. “Who are the politicians?”, several have asked after news wrote about the headmaster who fears that pupils will be admitted to emergency hospital as a result of the strike. Who misses the politicians? Among them: Jana Middelfart-Hoff, mother of a student at Amalie Skram secondary school in Bergen, who has been hardest hit by the teachers’ strike. – We have just had an air strike where ministers are vying to be on TV in prime time and tell people how worried they are about the holiday, she says. She doesn’t understand why the politicians don’t do the same now. – This is about the future of children and young people, but no one is speaking out. It seems to me to be very disturbing. Jana Middelfart Hoff reacts to the fact that no politicians are speaking out about the strike. She herself represents Høgre in the county council in Vestland. Photo: Valentina Baisotti / news Leader Steffen Handal of the Education Association also reacts to the fact that mayors and politicians have been completely silent about the strike. The opposite of what they should be, he believes. – We want as many people as possible to speak out. The politicians are responsible for the school offer. It’s a wonder they don’t want to get involved. Leader Steffen Handal of the Education Association is afraid that the KS letter will be perceived as a mouthpiece. Photo: Charlotte Haarvik Sanden / news Why are the politicians so quiet? Researcher Kristine Nergaard in Fafo says that the politicians are quiet, because they should stay out. She researches, among other things, the trade union movement and wage negotiations. – They must stay far away. It is the parties in working life who must negotiate the salary. It is a fundamental premise in Norwegian working life, she says. Otherwise, it could affect the principle of free negotiations and free trade union organisation. Nergaard believes that the politicians were also quiet during the SAS strike. In other words, they are not particularly quiet now. Is it illegal to comment on the strike? No. It is not illegal for politicians to comment on the strike, but that it is professional not to interfere, says Nergaard. – Up-and-coming politicians are careful not to say anything. If many serious politicians come out and comment, it will give the impression that there is a danger of a forced wage board. That could again affect the strike, she says. Researcher Kristine Nergaard at Fafo believes that national politicians should stay far away from the conflict. Otherwise, they will be able to touch on the principle of free negotiations and free trade union organisation. Photo: FAFO The researcher believes that there is broad agreement that strikes should not be politically motivated, somewhat in the same way as the price of food. – It must be up to those who produce the food, and those who buy it. The politicians cannot call the shops and ask them to lower the price of bread, says Nergaard. Have the politicians said anything? Yes. Education Minister Tonje Brenna (Ap) said on Tuesday that she hopes the parties realize the responsibility they have to end the strike and ensure that the students can return to school. – The ability to resolve this lies with the parties. Namely by making an effort and trying to find a common solution. Brenna will not answer whether the compulsory wage board is being considered. – The responsible minister must balance this, because it is impossible not to answer questions about the sector for which she has political responsibility, says Nergaard. The government has a remedy in the compulsory wage board, but Minister of Education Tonje Brenna (Ap) will not answer whether it is being considered. Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB What role do local and national politicians play during the strike? Who should say least? – The closer you are to power, the less good it is to interfere in wage negotiations, strikes and lockouts. It is preferably those who sit in the Storting and in the government who can influence, says Nergaard. It is different for local politicians, because they are a party to the conflict, as a member of the teachers’ counterpart, KS. KS is owned by all the country’s municipalities and counties. – Local politicians can influence by virtue of the fact that the municipality they govern or represent is a member of KS. Thus, they influence through the fact that their municipality is a member of KS, she says. – Doesn’t happen outside the door Jana Middelfart-Hoff believes that it is possible to speak out about the teachers’ strike, without taking sides. – One thing is to stay away from the conflict. Another thing is to show concern, she says. – What do you think is the reason why the politicians do not speak out? – Because this does not happen in Oslo. What doesn’t happen right outside the door is easy to overlook. This is a big country. It is easy to forget. Middelfart-Hoff is a former school councilor in Bergen and represents Høgre on the county council in Vestland. Do you think the strike will end soon? The government has one tool to stop the strike: a compulsory wage board. Nergaard believes that the Ministry of Labor is refusing to intervene, but that the strike is coming to an end anyway. – This happens to many people, and is now starting to become demanding for both parties. But whether it will be this week or next, I don’t know, she says.
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That is why the politicians are silent about the teachers’ strike – news Vestland
