The postal employees receive a general supplement of NOK 20,000 to employees with an annual salary lower than NOK 571,248. Those who earn more than this sum will receive a supplement of 3.5 per cent with effect from 1 May. – Spekter and Posten Norge AS are satisfied that, with the assistance of the Ombudsman, we have reached an agreement with LO Stat/Fagforbundet in this year’s salary settlement. In this way, we avoid that Posten’s customers are affected by strikes that could have significantly reduced postal services, says Spekter’s managing director Anne-Kari Bratten. Spekter states that the agreement involves “a somewhat higher financial salary compensation” than what was agreed in the negotiations between Posten Norge AS and the Trade Union. It is also agreed that Posten Norge AS and Fagforbundet Post og finans will, until the next main settlement in 2024, carry out joint work to, among other things, review and assess how the position structure and salary system can contribute to securing the necessary competence and make it possible to maintain Posten’s competitiveness. Extensive consequences announced In the first round, LO had announced that 452 postal employees would go on strike from Thursday morning, in Oslo and its surroundings, Grenland, Stavanger, Sola and Trondheim, among others. – It is a large withdrawal. A strike will have major consequences immediately, said national mediator Mats Ruland while the parties were mediating. The mediation meeting between LO Stat and the employers’ association Spekter started on Wednesday at 10 a.m. If the parties had not come to an agreement, it would have been the first strike at Posten in several decades, according to FriFagbevegelse. – I think it is possible to reach an agreement, Ruland told news on Wednesday evening. STATE MEDIATOR: Mats Ruland. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB Warns of rapid escalation A possible strike would include postmen in and around Oslo, Trondheim, Sola, Stavanger and Grenland. It would also have affected employees at Østlandsterminalen in Lørenskog, where mail for the whole country is sorted and prepared. The head of the Post and Finance Trade Union, Gerd Øiahals, says that they had announced the resignation of all their members at Posten Norge. We are talking about around 6,500 employees. She said an escalation would come quickly. LEADER: Gerd Øiahals in the Trade Union Post and Finance. Photo: Birgit Dannenberg The reason why the parties negotiated now is that more than half of the members voted no to the salary offer, the core of which was an addition of NOK 15,800. They believe this was too little to be able to maintain purchasing power. – Posten has had good results throughout the pandemic. People want a bigger share of the profits. Can affect online shopping Industry director in NHO Service and Trade, Linda Vist, said that the consequences of a possible strike could be great, depending on how long it lasts and how many are made redundant. – There are many packages and letters to be sent out and delivered. A strike means that packages pile up at the terminal, says Vist. INDUSTRY DIRECTOR: Linda Vist. Photo: NHO Service og Handel She cites delays as a consequence. – Many Norwegians shop online. People often expect to receive the package on their doorstep the day after they order. Consumers expect a fast process. Online shopping makes up around 15 per cent of Norwegians’ shopping in total. Before the pandemic, the percentage was seven. Following the situation According to the online store Miinto, their customers will not be able to receive their parcels in the mailbox in the event of a strike. But customers can still pick up their goods at a post office or in store. – Everyone will receive their packages, but the delivery time may be affected. Currently, only one of our delivery services is affected, says director of business development at Miinto, Jake Petersen. – But if there is a long-term strike, we have to consider how to solve it. The online store Nelly says that they are following the situation closely. – We are in dialogue with our suppliers about how our customers in Norway may be affected by a strike, and what measures we can introduce if so, says operations director at Nelly, Stefan Svensson.
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Danger of postal strike called off at midnight – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
