For many, working in the Armed Forces is not a normal eight to four job. They work a lot, and get high salaries. After a long and hard working life, they retire. But when they retire, they only get a pension based on their basic salary, not on what was paid out for all the extras. Many people in the Armed Forces are facing this conflict now: – This is something I think about a lot. And something that makes me have to consider a job outside the Armed Forces, says Hanne Bekken Haug to news. Because even though Hanne and many others in the Armed Forces say they work over twice as much as ordinary people on the street, the pension is calculated on a relatively modest basic salary. Hanne Bekken Haug is a materiel and logistics officer in the Norwegian Navy. Photo: Sondre Skjelvik / news Hoping for another job The 25-year-old has been in the Armed Forces for seven years. She describes it as a fantastic workplace, with exciting opportunities and good colleagues. – I always look forward to going to work, I love it, she says passionately to news. Why on earth is she considering other jobs then? – The big catch with this job is the pension. – If many quit, are you worried about Norway’s defence? – The armed forces solve missions, practice and train every day. If the Norwegian Armed Forces do not look after the personnel, Norway will not have a trained reserve in the event of a conflict, answers Haug and adds: – That worries me. Unfortunately, several of these people have already quit. KV Svalbard had a great visit from Jonas Gahr Støre & co. Wednesday. On Thursday, news employees who are considering leaving the Armed Forces will meet. Photo: Sondre Skjelvik / news Haug is not alone. Liaison officer Christoffer Bjørnson (33) is not only considering other jobs. He is actively looking. – If you continue in the Armed Forces, you will be retired in 27 years. Are you here then? – No, I do not think so. And I hope not, either, with the pension schemes that are in place today, Bjørnson replies. Bjørnson also enjoys being in the Armed Forces. But the current pension scheme must be changed, he believes. Photo: Sondre Skjelvik / news The commander continues: – Although the income in operational service is good overall, the pension basis will be very poor. If I continue in the Armed Forces until I retire, I will have to take drastic measures to turn things around. He also enjoys his job. But that is not enough, and he believes that more and more people will want to leave the Armed Forces in the future. – Something must happen with the pension, otherwise there will be a dropout among those like me, with 10-12 years’ experience. They will disappear. The armed forces, and ships such as KV Svalbard, need expertise. If many leave, it probably takes a long time to train new ones. Photo: Sondre Skjelvik / news Recommends young people to look a different way The two are by no means alone in their opinion. In April, the Gulating Court of Appeal dealt with a case between two former employees of the Armed Forces and the State Pension Fund. The big question was: Should supplements for guard duty, sailing and exercises be considered pensionable income for employees of the Armed Forces? On 16 May, the verdict was delivered – and the two former employees won. However, the state appealed the verdict, which means that the uncertainty continues. The department representative for the joint organization of officers in the Coast Guard, Torgeir Tangedal, gives the two young employees news meetings full support. Photo: Sondre Skjelvik / news – We have spent the last 10 years convincing our own organizations and employers that pension conditions are far too bad, says Torgeir Tangedal to news. He has worked in the Norwegian Armed Forces for 30 years and is a departmental shop steward for the Joint Command Organization in the Coast Guard. – This is now a serious concern. I don’t see how the Norwegian Armed Forces will manage to staff up, explains Tangedal. He refers to the fact that there is political agreement that the Armed Forces should become both bigger and stronger. Until 2036, the government plans to add 4,600 more employees. But last year, 700 employees quit before they reached retirement age, according to the Norwegian Association of Officers and Specialists (NOF). – Do you motivate young people in the Armed Forces, or those who are considering the Armed Forces, to pursue a career here? – No, unfortunately I won’t do that today. It is so unclear what conditions lie ahead. I really have hope that there will be solutions. But until that is clear, I do not recommend people to take a full professional career in the Armed Forces. He adds: – It is a fantastic workplace. There are wonderful colleagues. But as conditions are now, I recommend that they find another place while they are in their 30s and 40s and attractive in working life. It will give them better security later in life. Disagree with the Court of Appeal – It is important to us that employees in the Armed Forces receive the correct pension. That is according to the legal director of the State Pension Fund, Rune Huse Kristoffersen. – Then there can be no doubt about how we should interpret the regulations. We believe that the supplements are compensation for overtime. Overtime is not pensionable income in the legislation that applies to the State Pension Fund, he adds. The Court of Appeal concluded, however, that vessel and guard allowances are considered fixed allowances, and are thus pensionable. – Here, the Court of Appeal and we disagree. This judgment is therefore being appealed to the Supreme Court. – The judgment is general and does not sufficiently explain how it differentiates overtime, fixed or variable income. These are questions of principle that it is crucial to clarify in order for us to be able to calculate correct pensions. The Ministry of Defense has not responded to news’s request. Confederation leader Torbjørn Bongo in the Norwegian Association of Officers and Specialists (NOF) says the case creates frustration and curse. Time to clean up – Several employees have already quit because of the pension issue. They feel an injustice when they compare themselves to other government employees. He believes the state should have accepted the verdict and started the clean-up work. – If they mean what they say about investing in the Armed Forces, this is not the way to go. This is about trust in the government, and then the politicians cannot double-communicate, says Torbjørn Bongo. Photo: Rebekka Ellingsen – It also shakes the entire trust the employees have in both the defense leadership and political leadership. The government should follow the rock-bottom rule that there is no shame in turning around. Bongo says that an acceptance of the judgment would entail additional costs for the Armed Forces of NOK 300 million per year, plus something more in connection with those who have already resigned. – But can you understand that the state will try to keep expenses down? – I understand that they stand by their principles in such a case. But here the personal prestige should have been put aside. The Supreme Court will signal by October whether they will take the case. Published 25.06.2024, at 08.24 Updated 25.06.2024, at 08.28
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Young employees are considering quitting – shop stewards give them full support – news Nordland
