Expectations for this year's wage settlement in Spekter: "The frontline profession is not the answer"
If Spektrum is to succeed with recruitment, digitalisation and operations, the companies must stop using the frontline profession as a solution – especially when it fails.
The frontline profession is no longer perceived as predictable, according to Mette Sevaldson, head of NITO Spekter.
- In recent years, the theoretical estimate in March has deviated from Statistics Norway's actual figures the following year. When the framework is missed, the argument that Spekter companies with completely different market conditions should be tied to a figure that turns out not to reflect reality is also weakened.
Therefore, NITO expects real negotiations and wage growth that reflects the situation. Our members have increasing market value. Spektrum must also acknowledge this – not with speeches, but with salaries.
Mette Sevaldson, head of NITO Spektrum
Local conditions must weigh more heavily
In a market with a significant shortage of engineers, local conditions must weigh more heavily than the accuracy of the frontline trade, Sevaldson believes.
In NITO's needs survey for 2026, 71% of managers in Spektrum Health answer that it is difficult to get hold of engineers. 76% fear that they will lose skills they are unable to replace. The result is delays in critical projects, weakened operations and increased costs
- At the same time, the frontline profession is often used as a local answer. That is wrong. The frontline profession is a norm over time, not a ceiling for individual companies. The collective agreements between Spektrum and SAN are clear that wage formation must be local, and market adaptation is an explicit criterion, the head of NITO Spekter points out.
The collective agreements give employers both the opportunity and the obligation to use wages actively in the competition for skills.
- If Spektrum is to succeed with recruitment, digitalisation and operations, the companies must stop using the frontline profession as a solution – especially when it fails. They must recognize the actual market value of engineers and technologists, and negotiate based on the company's real needs and the tariff's requirements for market adaptation," says Sevaldson.
Salary is not a cost – it is a management tool.
Mette Sevaldson, head of NITO Spektrum
Mette Sevaldson points out that the lack of engineering expertise has been reported for a number of years.
"Our union representatives, together with the employers, must work long-term to develop strategies for recruitment and competence building. We must ensure that the companies have access to the engineering expertise necessary for good operations and sustainable emergency preparedness," she says.
This is about pay, working conditions, professional development opportunities and the ability to use the skills correctly.
Ida Engen
Seniorrådgiver/Fagansvarlig spekter