Just as Tor said,
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Biggest Labor Strike in More Than a Decade Hits
Norway
OSLO, Norway (AP) - Tens of thousands of Norwegians went on
strike
Wednesday in the biggest labor conflict to hit this small,
wealthy
Scandinavian nation in 14 years.
Outside Norway, major European carmakers could face shortages of
key
parts made by Norwegian firms.
The country's largest union ordered 84,600 members out on strike
after
the rank and file rejected a contract proposal last week.
Disgruntled
unionists complained they were asked to accept small pay hikes
while
business leaders got huge raises during the current national
economic
boom.
"I think the vote is a protest against the increasing
differences there
have been in society, and especially that a small group at the
top has
grabbed such big wage increases," said Labor Party leader and
Foreign
Minister Thorbjoern Jagland.
The rejected pact included a 3.5 percent to 4.0 percent pay
hike, which
was higher than annual inflation of about 2.5 percent; and a
fifth week's
paid vacation starting in 2002. Contracts accepted by the
Norwegian
Confederation of Trade Unions are a benchmark and tend to set
the
standard for other labor settlements.
The private sector strike started at 6 a.m. local time and hit
some ferries,
many newspapers, construction and transport industries right
away.
Guests at dozens of hotels woke up Wednesday, had breakfast and
then
were checked out due to service and safety concerns stemming
from
staff shortages.
The suspension of service by some private security companies
caused
anxiety that some banks might run out of cash that normally is
transported by such firms.
The country's three largest papers, along with many others,
suspended
print editions because of striking graphics workers, but
nevertheless
published Internet editions.
Some grocery stores already were low on products because
Norwegians
started hoarding last weekend despite assurances that there
would not
be food shortages.
"The have been reports of scuffles and scraps between customers
over
food," said Bjorn Klovstad of the NKL cooperative, which
operates
1,302 stores.
The strike, which may be stepped up if it lasts into next week,
is the
biggest to hit this nation of 4.5 million people since a 1986
conflict idled
more than 100,000 workers.
Norway is the world's second largest oil exporter, but the
strike has not
hampered its 3.2 million barrel per day oil production.
However, car parts manufactures say the strike could cost
contracts and
jobs if it forces foreign production lines to stop.
Kongsberg Automotive makes clutches and transmissions for Volvo,
Renault, Daimler Chrysler, Scandia and others. Raufoss A/S makes
parts, such as bumpers and suspension units, for Saab, BMW,
Audi,
Mercedes, Volvo and Iveco.
The union ordered the strike after more than 64 percent of
members who
voted rejected a new contract offer by the Norwegian
Confederation of
Business and Industry. The union's management had endorsed the
deal,
and rejection was a crushing defeat for them.
The union had not presented specific new demands. Both the union
and
the employers said they were open to contact from the other
side.
It was not clear how long the strike might last. The government
said it
had no plans to order strikers back to work.
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