Break in negotiations with KS: Now there will be mediation
This year's main settlement in the local government sector ended without agreement. The settlement is now going to mediation at the National Mediator.
The core of the negotiations in a main settlement is the content of the basic collective agreement and the wage development for groups whose wages are determined in the central negotiations. For NITO's part, this means in practice the teachers, whose salaries are adjusted according to Chapter 4 of the Basic Collective Agreement. The parties did not reach an agreement on pay for this group.
"The financial offer from KS was not good enough. KS was also not willing to meet the employee side on working time arrangements for teachers. We cannot accept that," says Gro Gaarder, head of NITO Municipality.
An unusually complex settlement
The parties entered this year's main settlement with a very complex negotiation picture. In addition to the basic collective agreement itself, the OU agreement (information and development funds), the working hours agreement for teaching staff and the main agreement have also been part of the settlement.
Akademikerne has reached an agreement with KS on the main agreement, and has now joined the same agreement as LO, YS and Unio. Akademikerne received a protocol that provides transitional arrangements of one year for local pilot schemes that are already underway. The Basic Agreement regulates the basic rules of the game between employer and employee.
However, the parties have not been able to agree on the other agreements. There has been good and constructive work on the various topics along the way, but in the end the distance was too great.
Mediation starts on 26 May
The settlement will now go to mediation at the National Mediator. The mediation starts on 26 May, with a deadline at midnight on 28 May. The first possible strike date is 29 May. Those members who may be taken out on strike will be kept informed through their own, confidential communication.
Why do we break?
In addition to the disagreement on wages and the Basic Collective Agreement, there are two specific issues that mean that we cannot accept the overall result:
Cuts in OU funds are unacceptable
The OU agreement ensures that union representatives receive the training they need to safeguard the members' interests in a good way.
"It's hard to understand why KS wants to cut back on union representative training right now. We are in a period of major changes in the municipal sector, and then union representatives need more expertise, not less," says Gaarder.
Weakened local room for manoeuvre in working time arrangements
KS has demanded changes to the provisions on working hours and working time arrangements. As these requirements are formulated, they will result in a significantly poorer opportunities for union representatives to influence locally. For NITO and Akademikerne, it is an absolute principle that union representatives should have a real influence on the members' working day.