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Security guards go out on strike

June 1, 2012  

Despite hours of negotiations long past an initial strike deadline, mediation failed to avert yet another labour conflict from hitting Norway. Nearly 1,800 vektere (security guards) will walk off the job from 8pm Friday evening, in a strike that’s expected to create long lines at airport security checkpoints and may leave minibanks (automated teller machines, ATMs) empty.

The strike was called by the labour organization Norsk Arbeidsmandsforbund, while another organization representing security guards, Parat, came to terms with employers’ organization NHO Service and won’t be pulling its members off the job.

Disrupting airport security clearance
That means a total of 149 security guards will go on strike at Oslo’s main airport at Gardermoen, for example, less than initially feared but a cutback that’s still expected to disrupt security clearance for airline passengers. Guards would also walking off the job at airports serving Bergen (Flesland), Stavanger (Sola), Trondheim (Værnes) and Tromsø (Langnes).

Airline passengers were urged to arrive at the airport at least an hour earlier than they normally would and be prepared for long lines. The airlines themselves are not involved in the strike, so there would be no immediate flight cancellations. Rather, it will be the responsibility of passengers themselves to get to their departure gates on time.

Concerns remained that the security cutbacks still may force closure of some airports, including Gardermoen, if the strike is extended next week and more workers are pulled off the job.

Minibanks may run empty
The new strike, which hits while Norway already is dealing with a strike by more than 50,000 public sector workers nationwide, will also affect other security guard services including those at public buildings, alarm companies and, not least, those that handle currency transport and refill minibanks (ATMs).

That means the minibanks that many Norwegians rely on may start running short of cash, or run empty, if the strike drags on.

The Oslo City Court (Oslo tingrett) has applied for dispensation from the strike, so as not to disrupt the lengthy terror trial expected to run for another three weeks. There were also questions about whether Oslo City Hall would need to close because of security guards being called from their posts.

While Parat’s members accepted a raise of NOK 8 per hour plus another NOK 2.50 for those with special competence, those tied to the other union organization remained unhappy with the pay offer they received.

State and municipal workers, meanwhile, were also continuing to hold out for raises of at least 4 percent, but there were reports of some progress as meetings resumed with a state mediator.

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund

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  • http://profiles.google.com/kiwi.robbie Robert Cumming

    yippee I’ve just spend 1.45 minutes waiting in line at Gardermoen today, IMO these people should be fired, this isn’t a highly skilled job, anyone could do it, they like many unskilled people in Norway are gready, get an education, it’s easy, it’s free and you can get a better job.

    • NorwayExpat123

      I agree, in the private sector we have to perform well and make sure our companies have good financial results before we can expect a raise commensurate with that performance, and that also carries with it the risk that we will lose our jobs if we don’t perform well. The market decides the level of our raise, if any. These no-skill goons just select an arbitrary number, way above private sector wage growth, and they hold the country hostage until they get it.

      Fire them all I say. If they’re worth the money they’re demanding, somebody out there will hire them and pay it, that’s how the market works.

      • GIBCDI

        And Norway Expat- Good luck firing them and trying to hire them all. You create a nice little labor shortage, with unemployment at 3.2 %. More demand than supply. Perfect conditions to be rehired and negotiate your wage at a higher level, since its basically the same people with the same skill sets that need to be hired back. Hire unskilled ones, and well you get training costs, further reducing profitability. Plus there is all the productivity lost while you try to hire new people. Get real . Your solution is unfeasable.

    • http://www.parfum.gen.tr/ Parfüm

      Thanks fot that mail

      • GIBCDI

        I disagree. Even if you do a really awesome job, the private sector and the public one will still try to screw you over, in order to improve their results. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. The point unions try to make is that improvements in ” productivity ” should not come at the expense of worker’s salaries.

        Obviously companies have to be profitable. But when you have people like Stoltenberg giving themselves 60% pay increments and claiming to be for the “workers”, please ! The workers have a right to look out for their own interests. If they don’t , who will? I frankly don’t think your employer cares very much about how you fare.

        Plus though it doesn’t require a high education, someone has to do those boring, menial jobs. Everyone wants the nice posh jobs, where you sit in front of a computer, pushing papers and pretending you are contributing to the welfare of the world in any significant manner, Master of Universe, but someone has to sit bored in front of a scanner to give you peace of mind that you won’t be blown up on your next business trip.

        Until “Davos man” learns how to fix his own goddamn plumbing, or decides to stay at home doing teaching and raising his own kids and maybe milking his own cows, or plays Russian roulette on a plane, let the workers of the “real” economy strike.