– It is quite hopeless. In the worst case, we have to cancel events because we don’t have enough sound and lighting technicians at work, says director of Olavshallen in Trondheim, Ann Elisabeth Wedø. From 1 April it was forbidden to hire labor from staffing agencies. The aim was particularly to clean up the construction industry, but others are also affected. Nor can the year-round organizers in the culture and event industry hire people from agencies during extra busy periods, such as now in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Only festivals and individual events get exemptions in the proposal that has been out for consultation. – Olavshallen has around 400 events during the year. About half take place in November and December. I can’t solve that with my five permanent technicians. I am completely dependent on renting, says Wedø. Director of Olavshallen in Trondheim Ann Elisabeth Wedø. Photo: Olavshallen Those who work for the agencies don’t like the change either. – On paper, it looks good with more permanent employment instead of hiring. But I can hardly see how it should work in practice. The industry is very seasonal, says Malin Eiersland (24), who works as a rigger and stage technician for the staffing agency Oslo Kru. Eiersland travels around the country on assignments and was, among other things, on the tour of the American rapper 50 Cent in the autumn. – This scheme gives me freedom and a guarantee of work. Then I don’t have to constantly hunt for jobs, and have many different employers. Stage technician and rigger Malin Eiersland at work for the staffing agency Oslo Kru. Photo: private She believes that hiring should continue, but also thinks that the industry needs improvements. – I am for changes that support this industry in a realistic way, such as better training, skills development, increased security and better contracts, says the 24-year-old. – Will be hired for a day In Stavanger, the ban on hiring had consequences in September. Around 30,000 audience members were to be admitted to 14 sold-out concerts with the Kaizers Orchestra. Both the concert hall and the restaurant and bar Spiseriet located there had to be heavily staffed. – We needed around 20 extra crew, but could not hire from staffing agencies as we did before. I had to hire people instead. Some just for a day’s work, says general manager of the Spiseriet, Marius Dragsten Kjelsrud. – You hired people for just one day? – Yes, it means a lot more paperwork for us. – And the administration takes care of that? – Well, the administration, that’s me. Marius Dragsten Kjelsrud, general manager of the Spiseriet restaurant (left) and director of Stavanger Concert Hall, Per Harald Nilsson. Photo: Anett Johansen Espeland / news Stavanger concert hall hires around 12,000 working hours during a year. – There are many hands. But we have everything from small children’s shows to large productions. It is very important that the exception from the hiring ban is extended to us who have a series of individual events throughout the year, says director of Stavanger Concert Hall, Per Harald Nilsson. Divided opinions in the trade union movement The proposed exemption from the law has been out for consultation. In their statements, both the EL and IT confederation and the Trade Union will go further than the government, and remove all right to hire in the event industry. While the club in the staffing agency Oslo Kru, which rents out stage technicians to organizers all over the country, advises against a ban. The club believes that there is no realistic alternative to renting. Among the organizations that are asking the government to extend the exemption are both Norske Kulturarangører, Spekter and Virke. – We expect that there will be a permanent exception for short-term labor for events. It is needed so that it will still be practically possible to implement, says Rhiannon Howden Edwards, who is industry director for culture and experiences in Virke. Rhiannon Howden Edwards is industry director for culture and experiences in Virke. This is the main organization for the trade and service industry. Photo: Virke She believes it is a good solution for riggers and technicians to have permanent part-time positions in staffing agencies. – It is the sum of all the short assignments that means they have a workplace where they have social security rights, and are followed up by the employer, says Hovden Edwards. – Permanent appointments are the main rule The consultation deadline expired in September, and the government has not yet reached a conclusion. – If you listen to the industry, it is possible to clean this up now, says director Per Harald Nilsson in Stavanger concert hall. In an email to news, Employment and Inclusion Minister Tonje Brenna (Ap) says that permanent employment should be the main rule in working life. Labor and Inclusion Minister Tonje Brenna from the Labor Party. Photo: Amanda Iversen Orlich – This also applies to employees in the event industry. Parts of this industry have a particular need for short-term labour, preferably for a few hours or days at a time. This is the reason why we have had a proposal for consultation which provides a narrow exception to the new letting rules, for time-limited letting to this industry. It could, for example, be hired for concerts, festivals, or limited events, says Brenna to news. The concert hall director in Trondheim, Ann Elisabeth Wedø, hopes the government will turn around. – In the extreme, we may get a poorer cultural offer for the people and poorer earnings in Olavshallen if the ban remains in place.
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Organizers in cultural life despair over ban on hiring labor – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
