The case summed up Young people all over the country do not get to complete their education because their wages are too high, and many do not get apprenticeships. The fishermen cannot afford to have fishing apprentices on their boats due to a decrease in fishing quotas. The fishermen’s union has decided to reduce the wages of apprentices on parts of the fleet so that more people will get apprenticeships. This will apply from 1 January 2025, and the apprentices will earn NOK 18,000 per month in the first year, and NOK 23,000 per month in the second year. The salary reduction will not necessarily solve the problem for everyone, and it is still a challenge to find apprenticeship places. In the last five years, the growth in the number of applicants for the blue fisheries subjects in the secondary school has been formidable. This has created a battle for the apprentice places. news has this week told about Jesper Johnsen (18) in Bø in Vesterålen, who was supposed to be an apprentice on a fishing boat this year, but who did not get an apprenticeship. The challenge is the same for fishery apprentices throughout the country, according to Jan-Erik Indrestrand, head of information at the Fiskarlaget. The reason is that many fishing boats believe they cannot afford to take an apprentice on board. Until next year, Norwegian fishermen are only allowed to fish 163,436 tonnes of cod. It is the lowest cod quota since 1991. Lower quotas at the same time that everything has become more expensive has consequences. With wages and lots, apprentices become expensive to operate. In one year, apprentices with salary and lot, i.e. their share of the profit on the boat, could earn a million kroner if they were lucky. Many fishery students do not get an apprenticeship. In Jesper’s class, 6 out of 24 students are absent this year. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news That is now the end of it. In order for more hopefuls to get an apprenticeship, the Fishermen’s Association has reduced the wages of apprentices on parts of the fleet. Even Jesper Johnsen thinks that lowering the salary could be a good solution. – At the same time, it is such a tough profession that you should be well paid. Raudt: – Rice to own back There is no fisheries policy spokesperson in Raudt, Geir Jørgensen agrees. He thinks it is a bad signal to send out to young people who want a place in the fishing industry. – If you start to cut the income of the apprentices, we will struggle with recruitment in the future. Red politician Geir Jørgensen says the lottery system for the fishermen is a good and well-established system that they have in the Norwegian fishing industry, which we would like to keep. Photo: John Inge Johansen / news – This could be a big hit for Norway’s Fishermen’s Association, he warns, and believes that the good pay in the profession is the very driving force for many young people. – Isn’t it unusual that Raudt wants a salary of millions? – Raudt has always believed that a worker deserves his salary. It is not contradictory to our policy, says Jørgensen. Red politician Geir Jørgensen believes that educational institutions will experience a drop in the number of applicants as a result of lower apprentice wages. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news He points out that such pay is not the norm either, although there are cases of it. The reason is that the wages of fishermen are affected by how much fish they have brought in – a so-called lot. Everyone gets their share of the catch. – When we know that the young people are among those who work the hardest on board and really put in the work, they should have paid for it. – The recruitment is very good Chairman of the boat owners’ section, Sigvald Berntsen, believes that the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association has taken important steps and dismisses the criticism from Raudt. – It is important to remember that these people still go to school. We are talking about students. They are there to learn for two more years, and they get a good salary. It has been challenging for the industry to find apprenticeship places for all the apprentices at the same time as the quota is being reduced, according to Sigvald Berntsen. Photo: Privat The vast majority of apprentices receive 40 per cent in the first year and 60 per cent in the second year of a full lot, according to Berntsen. In order to have apprentices deployed on boats with three or fewer people, it is now legal to enter into agreements on a fixed salary for the apprentices. Other fishermen have the same agreement as before, which is very good, says Berntsen, who is not worried about recruitment. – Recruitment to the industry is very good. And Berntsen believes that she will continue with the new arrangement. Berntsen believes that recruitment would be worse without making the salary lower. – That would have meant fewer apprenticeship places, and that is what we want to cover. We want more apprenticeship places. Frp: – A good solution On Thursday, Norway and Russia reached an agreement on a fisheries agreement for next year. The parties agreed to reduce the quota for cod by 25 per cent from this year’s quota. – The Progress Party believes that, based on the situation with quota reduction and lower income, it can be a good solution that contributes to more people taking on apprentices, says Bengt Rune Strifeldt, business policy spokesperson for the Frp. Bengt Rune Strifeldt thinks it is better to lower the wages of apprentices so that more people can get a place. Photo: Jonas Løken Estenstad When the quotas go down, the lottery system within the fishing industry means that other fishermen and boat owners also get lower earnings. The Progress Party is generally concerned that the reduction in quotas poses major challenges for the fishing industry. – We are therefore positive about all measures that can secure important jobs during a challenging time, says Strifeldt and hopes that the low quotas will improve before long. Raudt politician Geir Jørgensen, on the other hand, believes that more fish must be distributed to the coastal fleet. – The quotas have decreased and will remain low for many years. We should take fish from the trawl fleet and the very largest and distribute it to the smaller vessels. If you had done this earlier, you would not have had this problem, says Raudt politician Geir Jørgensen Published 03.11.2024, at 17.53 Updated 03.11.2024, at 18.39
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Politicians disagree on whether it is wise to lower the wages of apprentices – news Nordland
