The labour organization representing pastors in the Norwegian Church ended a month-long strike this week, after securing a significant raise in base pay. Strike leaders called that “a victory, both for pastors and other church employees.”
The Norwegian Church is no longer a state church but still receives most of its funding from the state, as do most other religious organizations and congregations in Norway. Pastors called an historic strike in December after the Norwegian Church’s relatively new administration failed to compensate pastors for the loss of housing or housing allowances.
Now the base pay for all pastors, especially new theology graduates just starting out, will rise by around NOK 40,000. Newspaper Klassekampen reported all salaries will also rise by the 1.7 percent secured in last year’s labour agreements involving other sectors.
Striking pastors were returning to work and the leader of the church administration (KA) claimed she was also satisfied with the settlement. It means pastors will move from the old state pay systems to KA’s systems, keeping in mind the pastors’ demanding job conditions that include lots of evening and weekend work.
newsinenglish.no staff
