The case in summary • Tine Melby, who has special needs, depends on her five BPA assistants to live a normal life.• 10 employees in Humana Omsorg og Assistanse went on strike on 12 September after unsuccessful negotiations between the Trade Union and NHO.• The strike was stepped up on 23 September, with several employees from Human Care and Norlandia Hjemmedjeneste BPA going on strike.• The strike leads to more work for relatives such as Tina’s mother, Kari Melby, but she supports the strike and believes it is important that BPA assistants receive equal pay.• The employer side has claimed that the strike poses a “danger to life and health”, but the Trade Union rejects this and believes that life and health will be taken care of by the health services in the municipality.• The Trade Union urges NHO to stop opposing “obvious requirements”, and believes that BPA assistants must be treated equally. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Tine Melby (41) from Sande has special needs, but has lived in her own apartment for the past 14 years. She has a total of five assistants (BPA), who help her through both everyday life and parties. Around the clock, they ensure that she can live as normal a life as possible. Work, cooking, trips, swimming and cleaning are on the program throughout the week. In addition, mum Kari Melby is on-call assistant when needed. Without help, life would have looked quite different, says the mother. – Tine is completely dependent on this help. Tine Melby loves to go on walks. Here she is with one of her assistants. Photo: Guro Hatlo / news Extending the night until 12 September, it became clear that the mediation between the Trade Union and NHO was not successful. As a result, 10 employees of Humana Care and Assistance went on strike. It is historic for this group of workers. The requirements are as follows: The BPAs in the NHO area demand to receive the same amount as other BPAs received in this year’s salary settlement, thereby ensuring increased purchasing power. Employees who have gained experience must be paid better. Therefore, they demanded the introduction of seniority provisions. On Monday morning, the strike was stepped up. Six employees from Human Care and three from Norlandia Hjemmedjeneste BPA went on strike from the start of working hours. Tine Melby on a trip in her car. She couldn’t take it on a trip without the help of one of her assistants. Photo: Christine Ringdahl Karlsen / news It means more work for the relatives who are left without help, but mum Kari Melby is ready to step in. – This is, after all, a wage fight. For me, it is absolutely essential that those who work in the various companies have roughly the same salary. We fully support the ongoing battle, she says to news. Believes life and health are safeguarded From day one, the employers’ side has said that the strike poses a “danger to life and health”, and has been in contact with the state administrator. Sigurd Løkholm, head of negotiations for NHO Geneo, nuances the criticism towards news. Sigurd Løkholm, head of negotiations for NHO Geneo. Photo: Stig Jaarvik / news – It is not us who assess whether this is a danger to life and health. We are committed to resolving the conflict. It is the State Administrator, the county doctor and the ministry who can decide the issue of life and health, he says. – We regret that this strike has negative consequences for users and relatives. At the same time, this is a legal strike, so that a strike has consequences is part of our social model. – Self-evident demands The trade union recognizes that it affects vulnerable users who are dependent on assistance, but rejects that the strike could endanger the lives and health of the users who are affected. – After all, they are also part of the municipality’s health service. This is an equality worker who enables people with a disability to participate in work, school and social life. Things that affect life and health will of course be taken care of by the health services in the municipality, says Mette Nord. She is a leader in the Trade Union. Mette Nord is leader of the Trade Union. Photo: Stig Jaarvik / news She does not agree that an extension of the strike will change the issue of life and health. – The regrettable thing is that the strike includes several people who need personal assistance. My appeal to NHO is that there must be an end to dithering on self-evident requirements, and that those who do such an important job must be treated equally. Løkholm believes they are concerned with resolving the conflict. – NHO is keen on an open and open-minded debate, but then the Trade Union must put aside what they themselves characterize as unavoidable demands. Published 24.09.2024, at 05.29
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– Tine is completely dependent on this help – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
