Must get full control of salary and pension
Pension panic is something the engineers and technologists in Brattvåg want to avoid. They want to have an overview and take control of the future.
The workday is about deliveries, upgrades and maintenance of advanced winch systems and equipment for offshore boats, tugs, fishing and trading boats. The NITO members at the Kongsberg company in Brattvåg also want to keep track of the numbers that will ensure life after working life.
There are several people who recognize themselves in uncertainty about pensions:
- When is it worthwhile to resign?
- What does the pension entail?
- How much do I actually get paid?
You will know the consequences of taking out your pension early, the effect of life expectancy adjustment, and how the National Insurance Scheme as a foundation can be built up with contractual early retirement pension (AFP), occupational pension and perhaps individual pension savings (IPS).
Invited to talk about pensions
The NITO group in Kongsberg in Brattvåg has 41 members. Union representative Kjetil Tarberg invited to a pension talk. NITO's business group adviser Bjørn Wannebo was there.
Wannebo went straight to the core: - The National Insurance Scheme is the basis, with 18.1 percent of income going into pension accrual. He says that AFP is an important supplement for many people and that occupational pensions build on this – but do not necessarily last a lifetime.
- With AFP, it is possible to withdraw money and retire at 62, he explains. - This is for employees in the public sector and for those in the private sector who have a company with an AFP scheme at the top.
Wannebo emphasizes that what you choose at 62 will stay with you for a long time. - The earlier the withdrawal, the "thinner" the topping on the slice of bread. For each year you wait, your pension increases by around six percent. However, many people take out AFP early retirement pension as early as they can.
He further explains: - You must apply for AFP early retirement pension while you are working, think about strategy, and consider putting money in a savings account or in a fund. National Insurance can be started – and stopped after one month. You have more options than you think, but you need to know about them.
The company group members discussed among themselves. They seem to have become a little wiser. The fact that they are a community, can have their own meetings, and invite in from NITO, is a member benefit.
Busy everyday life – want more pay
At Kongsberg's company in Brattvåg, union representative Tarberg invites to such company group meetings. He is a project manager in the aftermarket, with responsibility for upgrade deliveries after the contracts with the customer have been signed.
Tarberg became a union representative in 2021. He talks about a busy everyday life where loyalty to the job is high, but so is the price. The fact that he was not able to take 15 days of holiday in 2025 is an example of this.
"There is a high pace here, training of new employees and a lot of overtime," he says. Tarberg is a member of BU and is a deputy in the working environment committee and meets with the employer regularly to reinforce what is already good or to solve challenges. The BU meetings have fixed topics, such as finance, the company's activities and plans for the future, new investments, projects and reviews from BU Norway (Kongsberg Gruppen). There is also an item with any where the topics can be workload, staffing needs, maintenance, upgrading of building stock, etc.
The company is doing well. He and his employees believe that this should be more noticeable on the payslip.
- We probably need to get better at demanding salary talks regardless of the settlements, says Tarberg. He experiences support from the company group adviser and others in NITO who advise on salary settlements.
Access to the toolbox
To those of you who are not a NITO member, he says that you must look at being a trade union as having a toolbox.
- There you will find legal support, courses, advice, a business group advisor who comes to "the house" for a visit - and not least a community in the workplace that stands behind you when you need it. You get a union representative who speaks on your behalf! He reminds all members to demand salary discussions.
The working environment at Kongsberg in Brattvåg is described as good. "There are colleagues here who are always there, it's a short distance to the management," says Tarberg.
One of the most important choices you make
But the engineers know that the market can quickly turn. Then the message from Tarberg is clear: - A good working environment is worth its weight in gold - where an organized working life is the safety net.
If you want a safer working life and a better grip on salary, pension and other benefits, NITO membership is one of the most important choices you make.
Use the member benefits
For him, NITO is the difference between standing alone and having a team behind you. - Security in working life: Knowing that someone knows pensions, labour law and collective agreements. It's nice that both I and my colleagues have a place to go when something goes wrong," he says.
There are many member benefits to take advantage of. He refers to an example when he was going on a trip with his family to Trondheim. Here they stayed at Scandic Solsiden and got a superior room on the 5th floor. - I searched on Scandic's website and got a room for NOK 1800 per day without breakfast, but with the NITO code I got the same price including breakfast, he says. - Then I quickly saved 400-500 kroner on those of us who were there. I have experienced the same thing when we were going to Kristiansand and Scandic there.
Of the insurances through NITO, he mentions travel insurance, home contents, house, car, boat and child insurance. Tarberg points to a number of advantages and he would like NITO to become even bigger. - It's nice to be more. If you are an engineer or a technologist, you belong with us," he says.
Want to learn more about pensions? NITO's website provides more useful information.
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