The 2021 Norwegian cultural workers strike was a seven-week labour strike by workers in the cultural sector in Norway in the autumn of 2021 over pension plans.[1][2][3]
Background edit
In 2016, cultural workers in Norway, representing by the LO Stat trade union, accepted a temporary pension agreement with Arbeidsgiverforeningen Spekter. However, further negotiations for a more permanent pension structure reached an impasse, with the employers demanding a pension plan where men and women receive different payments and with the workers wanting a lifelong, gender-neutral plan.[4][5][6]
Strike edit
On 4 September, after mediation talks between the workers and Spekter failed, around 220 cultural workers walked off the job, launching the strike. The strike included workers from Den Nationale Scene, the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, Det Norske Teatret, the National Theatre, Rogaland Teater, and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. In response, a number of performances were cancelled or postponed.[7]
On the week of 20 September, an agreement yet to be reached, a further 121 cultural workers walked off the job, including workers from Hålogaland Teater, Oslo Nye Teater, and the Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra.[8] On 24 September, LO Stat announced that the strike would expand again if an agreement had not been reached by the end of the month, with an additional 249 workers walking off the job to reach a total of over 800 workers on strike by the beginning of October.[9][10] On the weekend of 23 October, the union announced that a further 209 employees would go on strike on Monday, bringing the total number of striking workers to over 1000.[11]
On 25 October, an agreement was reached between the workers and Spekter, ending the strike.[12] The agreement included lifelong, gender-neutral pension plans, beginning in April 2022.[13]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Hotvedt, Signe Karin (25 October 2021). "Den over sju veker lange kulturstreiken er over". NRK.
- ^ "Det Norske Teatret er ramma av streik | Notisar". Det Norske Teatret. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
- ^ Pedersen, Av Bernt Erik. "Teatersjef hardt ut mot Sundnes (Ap): – Oppsiktsvekkende å oppfordre til boikott". Dagsavisen.
- ^ Pedersen, Av Bernt Erik. "LO-lederen møtte streikende på Operaen: – Burde vært unødvendig å streike for dette i 2021". Dagsavisen.
- ^ Rasin, Lara (31 August 2021). "Danger of a major strike in Norway cultural sector looms".
- ^ Nyheter, S. V. T. (1 September 2021). "Omfattande strejk hotar Norges kulturliv: "Tålamodet är slut"". SVT Nyheter.
- ^ "220 employees in Norway's cultural sector go on strike; multiple performances are canceled". 4 September 2021.
- ^ "Strejken i Norges kulturliv trappas upp". gp.se. 16 September 2021.
- ^ "Ännu fler norska kulturarbetare kan strejka". gp.se. 24 September 2021.
- ^ Pedersen, Av Bernt Erik. "Kulturstreiken trappes opp igjen: Presset mot teatrene øker, mener forsker". Dagsavisen.
- ^ Einem, Camilla (23 October 2021). "Norwegian cultural strike: Another 209 cultural employees will go on strike from Monday".
- ^ "Streik i kultursektoren". fagforbundet.no.
- ^ Rasin, Lara (25 October 2021). "Seven-week culture sector strike in Norway ends".