This is how you can get a higher salary in the City of Oslo
As a NITO member in the City of Oslo, you have several opportunities to influence your own salary development. This guide is written for those who want to influence their own salary, but may not know the system in detail. The goal is to give you an overview of the opportunities both through the annual negotiations and not least through specific provisions outside of these.
1. Annual salary negotiations: The central backdrop
In the City of Oslo, salary negotiations mainly take place centrally. This means that the salary for most employees is determined through negotiations between the municipality and the central employee organisations. NITO is with Akademikerne when they negotiate with the City of Oslo.
If funds are set aside for local negotiations, NITO will inform via union representatives about how you can submit your salary claim. However, it is common for the entire pot to be distributed in the central negotiations.
NITO and Akademikerne are actively working to change this system, so that a larger part of the wage negotiations can take place locally in the individual enterprise. The goal is to give union representatives and management locally greater freedom to find local solutions that better reflect the conditions in the various agencies and businesses.
2. Your opportunity to apply for a salary adjustment outside of annual negotiations - "special grounds"
The collective agreement (Document 25) gives you the right to apply for a salary adjustment on "special grounds" through the provisions of section 16.2 and section 16.4.
These provisions are your opportunity to get a new assessment of your salary when there are changes in your work situation, or when the employer has challenges in retaining or recruiting employees with your expertise – regardless of the ordinary annual negotiations.
When can you apply for a salary adjustment?
Here are the situations that may give you grounds for applying for a higher salary. Some of these points may seem similar, but they give you different angles to argue your case.
- When you have been given new or changed tasks: If the content of your position has changed significantly, either in the form of new tasks, increased responsibilities or more complex challenges, you can apply for a salary adjustment. It is important that you can show a concrete change from before.
- When you have completed relevant continuing and further education: Have you completed courses, certifications or other formal skills development that are relevant to your job? If the new skills allow you to perform your tasks in a better way or take on more demanding work, this may provide grounds for a salary claim.
- When the employer is struggling to recruit or retain employees: If you know that your employer has challenges in hiring or retaining people with your skills, this can be a strong argument for higher pay. This is especially true if there is low unemployment in your industry, or if your skills profile is infrequent.
- When the competence requirements for your position have changed: Sometimes the employer changes the formal requirements for a position. If this has happened to your position, and you meet the new requirements, you may be entitled to a salary assessment.
- When organizational changes occur: In the event of reorganisations or restructuring processes, changes in responsibilities and tasks may arise. If this applies to you, there may be grounds for reassessing your salary.
Overview of the basis for salary claims
|
Situation |
Title |
What does that mean for you? |
|
You have had significantly changed work tasks or increased responsibility. |
§ 16.2 |
You must be able to document a concrete change in your tasks and your responsibilities. Compare your current situation to how it was in the past. |
|
You have taken relevant competence development (courses, continuing education, etc.). |
§ 16.2 |
The education must be relevant to your job. You should be able to show how the new competence enables you to solve your tasks better or take on new ones. |
|
The employer has problems recruiting or retaining employees with your expertise. |
§ 16.2 and § 16.4 |
This is a strong argument if you can show that your expertise is sought after. For example, there may be high demand in the market or few applicants for similar positions. |
|
The formal competence requirements for your position have changed. |
§ 16.2 |
If your employer has raised the requirements for your type of position, and you meet these, you may be entitled to a higher salary. |
|
There has been a reorganization that has affected your position. |
§ 16.2 |
If a restructuring process has led to changes in your tasks or your responsibilities, this may provide a basis for a new salary assessment. |
3. How to proceed: Step by step
Before you apply:
Consider whether you meet the criteria: Carefully review the points under § 16.2 and § 16.4. Is your situation in line with one or more of these criteria? Be honest with yourself and assess whether you have a strong case.
Gather documentation: This is perhaps the most important step. The better documentation you have, the stronger your case is. Examples of relevant documentation can be:
- Changed job description or new tasks you have been given.
- Emails or minutes confirming increased responsibilities or new projects.
- Course certificates, diplomas or certificates from relevant competence development.
- Information about recruitment challenges in your department or for your type of competence (e.g. advertised positions that are not filled, or high turnover).
Prepare your arguments: Think about why you deserve a higher salary. How has your efforts, expertise or changed work situation contributed to the company's goals? Be specific and use examples.
Use the salary interview: As an employee of the City of Oslo, you have the right to request a salary review with your immediate manager. This is an important conversation to clarify expectations and give your manager arguments for why you should have a higher salary. Your manager is often the one who will argue your case further in the system, so a good dialogue here is crucial.
The salary review is important both if you want to apply for a higher salary on special grounds and otherwise.
Salary review guide: How to talk your way to a higher salary
Contact your union representative:
Your union representative is your most important supporter in this process. They have knowledge of the collective agreement, wage policy and previous issues. Involve them early on to get advice and guidance.
It is the union representative who negotiates: It is important to remember that it is not you who negotiates your salary in these special negotiations. It is your union representative who negotiates on your behalf with your employer. They will present your case and argue your claim.
What you should have ready before the meeting with the union representative: Have your documentation ready, and be prepared to present your case and your arguments. The more prepared you are, the better union representatives can help you.
Salary claim form
There is a separate salary claim form for the City of Oslo that you use to submit salary claims. You can find that at the bottom of this article.
Fill out the form carefully and attach all relevant documentation. Be precise and clear in your reasoning.
Guidelines to substantiate the claim
Akademikerne has prepared a detailed guide for special salary claims in the City of Oslo, which is a useful tool that takes you through how best to substantiate your claim. Use it actively.
4. Important tips for success
To increase your chances of succeeding with a salary claim on a special basis, there are some general principles that are good to follow:
- Take the initiative yourself: Don't wait for others to take the initiative. If you believe you have a basis for a higher salary, contact your union representative and start the process.
- Document everything carefully: Keep track of new tasks, projects, competence development and any challenges with recruitment/retention in your department. The more concrete and fact-based your argument is, the better.
- Have a good dialogue with your manager and union representative: An open and constructive dialogue with both your immediate manager and your union representative is crucial. Your manager can be an important ally in the process, as they often have to argue for your salary increase upwards in the system. The union representative is your negotiating partner and knows the local conditions.
- Understanding the salary policy in the City of Oslo: Familiarise yourself with the overarching principles for wage policy in the City of Oslo. This will help you understand which arguments carry the most weight and how your case fits into the bigger picture. It must be available on the intranet where you work.
5. Questions and answers
Kan jeg forhandle selv?
Nei, i Oslo kommune forhandler du ikke din egen lønn i de særskilte forhandlingene. Det er din tillitsvalgte som forhandler på dine vegne. Din rolle er å forberede saken din og gi tillitsvalgte all nødvendig informasjon og dokumentasjon.
Hva skjer hvis kravet mitt blir avvist?
Hvis kravet ditt blir avvist, kan du be din leder om begrunnelse. Kanskje kan det være mulig å justere kravet eller argumentasjonen og fremme det på nytt senere, eller å vurdere andre veier for lønnsutvikling. Tillitsvalgte vil kunne gi deg råd om veien videre.
Hvor lang tid tar prosessen?
Tidsrammen for behandling av særskilte lønnskrav kan variere. Det er ingen fastsatt tidsfrist, men prosessen skal behandles uten unødig opphold. Hør med tillitsvalgt om hva som er vanlig i din virksomhet.
Hvor finner jeg min tillitsvalgte?
Du kan se hvem som er din tillitsvalgt på Min side. Er det ikke NITO-tillitsvalgt der du jobber, ta kontakt NITO-sekretariatet. Vi kan eventuelt sette deg i kontakt med en tillitsvalgt fra en av de andre Akademiker-foreningene.