– It often happens that I am left sitting alone, says Petrine Olgeirsdottir. She is studying a bachelor’s in training and coaching – and is deaf. – I get sad when I see my fellow students sitting together and working together. I don’t have that opportunity, she says. When news meets Petrine there is also no interpreter present. Communication takes place over a notepad. Photo: Astrid Johanne Sørnes / news Petrine estimates that she has missed half of her studies due to a lack of an interpreter. But it could be worse: The sign language interpreters in Oslo who work freelance stopped taking assignments on 14 October. The freelancers tend to cover a large majority of interpreting assignments in the capital. Now they campaign for higher wages. – I’m afraid Petrine is describing a study day where she often feels stupid. She has dropped both the youth club and sports in order to keep up. – If I had known that it would be so difficult to get hold of interpreters for the study, I would never have started, she says. Deaf people in the Oslo area are currently struggling to get an interpreter. Photo: Astrid Johanne Sørnes / news Now the student has started to notice the interpreting action. The Norwegian Association of the Deaf does the same. – It has already affected the deaf greatly, says general secretary Petter Noddeland. On Tuesday 17 October, news’s Sign Language News was published due to a lack of interpreters. Photo: Skjermdump Nav, which is responsible for the interpreting service, states that fewer interpreting assignments are covered this month. Therefore, they must prioritize. – Profession, not charity Freelance interpreters Silje Aakerøe and Kine Siksjø-Berg are behind the action. They have over 130 other freelance interpreters with them. Silje Aakerøe and Kine Siksjø-Berg are freelance interpreters, and are behind the action. Photo: Astrid Johanne Sørnes / news – People are fleeing the profession because they cannot afford to stay in it anymore, says Siksjø-Berg. Because of her work, she gets little time to be with her own children. – I run from assignment to assignment to get things going, she says. Freelancers who interpret spoken languages, such as Polish or Arabic, earn three times as much as sign language interpreters. – It is discrimination against language. We feel that our profession is not taken seriously, says Aakerøe. It is the salary that is the focus when the freelance interpreters take action. Photo: Astrid Johanne Sørnes / news – Won’t this have a very negative effect on the deaf? – All forms of action or strike will harm someone, says Aakerøe, and adds: – We practice a profession, not charity. Visited the Storting without an interpreter In the past week, the Norwegian Association of the Deaf has attended several hearings at the Storting to help negotiate the national budget. They didn’t get an interpreter for a single one. “I stand here today without an interpreter” reads the note to Petter Noddeland. Here at the work and social committee. Photo: SCREEN DUMP It’s “a bad experience” not to catch what is being said, says Noddeland. – We are also prevented from answering questions to us that only we have the competence to answer, he adds. The Norwegian Association of the Deaf supports the campaign. On Saturday 14 October, almost a thousand interpreters and deaf people gathered in the center of Oslo to demonstrate – together. Deaf people and interpreters demonstrated in the city center on 14 October. Photo: Jenny Karlsson – It seems that not all the politicians have taken to heart and understood the seriousness, says Noddeland. Met Brenna The freelance interpreters have also demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion. This is where their salary is determined. The shareholders met Labor Minister Tonje Brenna this week. Photo: Aarabi Manojkumar – Why are speech language interpreters paid three times as much as sign language interpreters? To that, the ministry says that they are working on how the system around fees for interpreters can be improved. Student Petrine hopes the situation will be resolved quickly. – I am afraid that it could affect my results, she says. Petrine Olgeirsdottir has had to sacrifice a lot due to a lack of interpreters. Photo: Astrid Johanne Sørnes
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Petrine misses her studies – news Culture and entertainment
