[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>
> Just as Tor said,
By tuesday will 10.000 more workers be on strike. That will stop the
paper mills, among other things.
>
> ======================
> 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.
It is reported that in few weeks will more than 100.000 workers in
European car factories stop working because the factories will lack
vital car parts.
>
> 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.
The crews working the towboats which is maneuvering the oil tankers are
on strike, and that will reduce the oil export by 25% within two weeks.
>
> 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.
>
> ======================================================
--
All the best
Tor F�rde
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
