– When you know at the same time that the industry is going so fast and that Lerøy is going to present the all-time result on Tuesday, it becomes very strange for most people. That’s what responsible editor Øystein Hage says in Fiskeribladet. Over 300 employees in Lerøy have been told that they will be made redundant from 1 January. On Monday, Salmar also sent out layoff notices for 851 employees. The government is to blame for the situation because of the much-discussed ground rent tax. It will lead to tougher taxation of the large profits in the aquaculture industry. Øystein Hage, editor of Fiskeribladet, attacks the farming industry’s layoffs. Photo: Lena Knutli On Tuesday, the figures will come from Lerøy. The farming giant is expected to have an operating profit of NOK 864 million in the third quarter, reports IntraFish. This is an increase of 285 million from the same period last year. – The industry itself has a communication problem, because they make so much money, and at the same time they have to start laying off people who work for them, he says. On news’s Helgemorgen, Hage believed that the employees are being pushed to the front in the fight against the ground rent tax. Lerøy: – Not really Stig Nilsen is the authority contact at Lerøy Seafood Group. He thinks the editor is wrong. – We would never have taken the step of sending out layoff notices if it wasn’t completely real. – And I think it is absolutely terrible that someone who should know the industry better can allow himself to say something like that, Nilsen continues. He explains the redundancies by saying that it is not possible to enter into long-term contracts for processed salmon from the New Year. According to the company, the government’s proposal means that they then have to pay tax on an income they do not have. Authority contact Stig Nilsen in Lerøy. Photo: Jan Harald Tomassen / news Nilsen says that a profit at Lerøy essentially benefits society. According to him, it will create safe jobs, investments in the local community through ripple effects, not least in the supplier industry. – I see that several players deliver good results for the third quarter. We will have to wait for the results from Lerøy, since we are a listed company, so I cannot say anything about it. – But if we deliver a good result, I know that the money will be plowed back into the industry, says Nilsen. He acknowledges that it can be difficult to explain why people have to be made redundant, while the industry is doing well. – But it is mainly because someone is driving a rhetoric to sharpen the fronts and construct a problem that is not real. And if we haven’t been very good at getting it across, then we have to work a bit more with that message, says Nilsen. – From a full party to a real hangover 158 of the 339 laid off at Lerøy work in Skjervøy in Nord-Troms. Responsible editor of the newspaper Framtid i Nord, Kjetil Skog, tells of strong unrest in the local community. Many people think back to when the whitefish industry collapsed, when the shipyard industry disappeared, and the shrimp industry collapsed. In 2006, Lerøy brought the news that they were to establish themselves in the municipality. – Since then, Lerøy has had a strong star, we notice that when we have to cover what is happening, says Skog. Skjervøy in North Troms. Photo: Eirik Hind Sveen / news A few months ago there were plans for a new factory for NOK 420 million. But it was put on hold when the proposal for ground rent tax came out. – From a full party to a real hangover, says Skog about how the residents have been experiencing lately. In light of the redundancies, he thinks it could be perceived as strange if Lerøy now delivers a good result. – But I notice that Lerøy has such a big star among people, that some will still be on their side.
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Laying off over 300 employees – now a large profit is expected from Lerøy – news Troms and Finnmark
