Was laid off, but new everyday life gave a better life
Marija Radonic actually lost her job. She thanks her union membership for a new solution that also provided a three-hour shorter travel distance to work.
- In a way, I had expected it, because when you get into a new job last, you think that you should be the first to leave. Still, it was a shock," she says.
Marija Radonic was hit in the winter of 2026 by the downsizing at Aker Verdal. 300 were to go.
The shock turned into a second chance
Radonic is originally from Zagreb in Croatia. She has lived in Norway for ten years and worked for three years at Aker Verdal. She has been permanently employed for a year.
With two young boys at home, the uncertainty became extra great when the dismissal came. - As someone who is from abroad, it is not always easy to get a new job quickly. I don't have a large network, no one who can help and 'hold my hand'," she says.
After she was dismissed, she discovered by chance an advertised vacancy in the same group, but in Trondheim. Then she quickly contacted NITO's union representative: - I called Line Adelheid Stang and said: It's a position I want! She took the matter further and found out more about what kind of position it was. She also thought that I fit in it.
The solution was a transfer from Aker Verdal to Aker Trondheim. There, Radonic now works as a coordinator within so-called lifecycle information. There, she follows up that equipment, design and construction are correctly connected in the projects.
"It's not the dream job," she says. - But it was far better than the alternative. I took the job. It's fine here, I thrive in a good team. And I save three hours every day because the workplace is closer to where I live. Overall, it became a better everyday life for me.
Such a solution would not have happened if the union representatives in NITO had not stood up for her and been a driving force for such a solution. - I am so happy about my NITO membership, she says.
- I have union representatives who support me and I have access to lawyers who can speak on my behalf. When I tell family members in Croatia about this, they don't quite understand this. Dad asked: Have you really got a lawyer through the union? Now they also understand that union membership is really worth its weight in gold!
Advice on downsizing
- Contact NITO's local union representatives at an early stage
- Keep an eye on vacancies elsewhere in the Group
- Be open to new roles and locations that can provide new opportunities
Radonic has a message for others who are affected by downsizing: Don't stand alone.
- Make sure you are a member of a trade union. Talk to those who represent you right away if something like this affects you. I was very lucky to get help quickly from NITO. Then you don't have to worry about what to say. Seek help and get help.
She also believes it is important to be open to new opportunities, even if they do not look perfect at first glance.
- See if other locations in the group are advertising jobs. Maybe you're open to moving, and maybe you'll get a better job or a job closer to where you live.
"It's nice to be a NITO member," she says. I see that others in similar situations experience "being more alone" if they are not unionized. I got help, it's like having a whole new life.
Radonic says the experience has given her even greater faith in the value of being organized.
