A nurse who comes straight from education can earn just over NOK 10,000 extra by choosing Lund as a place of work. For a newly qualified teacher, there is a bonus of NOK 5,500. The measure involves new hires without work experience jumping straight up to six years’ seniority. This applies to both teachers, nursery teachers, nurses, social workers and environmental supervisors. – We try to be competitive, keep those we have and attract qualified people to the municipality, says mayor of Lund, Magnhild Eia (Sp). Magnhild Eia (Sp) is mayor of Lund and former headmaster. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news She clarifies that those concerned will continue to jump up the salary ladder every two years, as they would otherwise have done. The municipality, with just over 3,100 inhabitants, has four schools. The scheme with six years’ seniority for new employees will apply from 1 August next year. – Ask if it is enough – We hope it can help, because it is very difficult to get hold of qualified teachers, and it gets worse year by year. Recently, we received twelve applicants for three positions, and no externals were qualified, says leader of the Education Association in Lund, Stian Stenberg. Teacher Stian Stenberg is the main shop steward in the Education Association in Lund. Photo: Øystein Otterdal / news – But is NOK 5,000 extra enough to lure new graduates to Lund? – In any case, it is a signal that you are willing to prioritize teachers, and a step in the right direction, says Stenberg. For the small municipality in the south of Rogaland, the measure means an additional cost of NOK 125,000 next year, and NOK 300,000 in the years to come. – It is good that Lund municipality is now showing a willingness to take action. It can be a good measure to retain employees, but I think we need to raise higher sums to recruit new ones, says county leader of the Education Association in Rogaland, Gunn Reidun Tednes-Aaserød. Gunn Reidun Tednes-Aaserød is the leader of the Education Association in Rogaland. Photo: Josef Benoni Ness Tveit / news The Norwegian Nurses Association (NSF) is also uncertain about the recruitment effect. – It depends on the labor market in the area otherwise. This is not enough money to recruit back someone who has quit to earn more elsewhere. But it is just as important to retain people as it is to recruit, says head of NSF, Lill Sverresdatter Larsen. Leader of the Norwegian Nurses Association, Lill Sverresdatter Larsen. Photo: Eskil Wie Furunes / news – Like winning the Lotto Those who already work in Lund, and have up to five years’ seniority, are also included in the promotion. Nikolai Strømstad (27) has his first teaching job at Nygård school, and commutes between Egersund and Moi in Lund every day. A stretch of approximately five miles. Nikolai Strømstad commutes to his teaching job at Moi in Lund. Photo: private – This is a very good measure. It is good to have a little extra left for the trip in kroner and øre. And the supplement gives me an extra reason to stay in the job, he says. Strømstad’s teaching colleague Nina Marie Vik (39) also supports the measure. She is now moving up from four to six years’ seniority in terms of salary. – Bearing in mind that expenses for electricity, food and fuel have increased sharply, I definitely believe that higher starting wages can help attract people to the municipality. Together with the low house prices here, it can be like winning the Lotto for the young, says Vik. Nina Marie Vik is a teacher at Nygård School in Lund. Photo: private And the corona pandemic actually gets the credit for the measure finally coming. – The plan has been in the drawer since 2019. Because Lund had little infection, we saved up money in a fund, says mayor Magnhild Eia.
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Lund municipality gives newly qualified teachers six years of seniority – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
