Your guide to local wage negotiations in the municipality

Good preparation is the key to successful negotiations. Negotiating wages is a process that takes place all year round and where the process ends with the actual negotiations. 

Map your members' needs and priorities 

Think about both the short-term and the more long-term interests. The employer plans over several years - then it is a good idea that the company group does the same. Can the members' interests be linked to stated goals and ambitions regarding the level of service and the municipality's finances? 

Do you have the skills you need? Check if there are courses you can participate in or something that can be repeated in the learning portal. 

Evaluate the lessons learned from last year's negotiations. What worked, what didn't. This applies both to the collaboration internally in the NITO group and to the meetings with the employer. Continue with what worked and change what didn't. 

You should clarify this in the discussion meeting  

Prepare for the discussion meeting by making a list of the conditions NITO wants to clarify in order to ensure a good framework for the negotiations. Was there anything about the negotiations last year that you want to improve this year?  

What framework does the local wage policy set for the negotiation?  

The local wage policy must be drawn up after discussions with the employee representatives. Does it say anything about the way in which the negotiations are to be conducted that binds NITO's negotiating committee, e.g. whether it is the employer or the parties jointly who are to distribute individual supplements? What about the criteria for salary adjustment – are they satisfactory? What assessments are made before individual supplements and how does the employer collect information about your members?  

Prior to the actual negotiations, discussion meetings must be held between the parties. The discussion meeting is one of the most important steps in the process in the negotiation process. 

The main rule is that a meeting must be held for each salary chapter. The employer may not decide on its own that a discussion meeting shall be held that applies to all salary chapters. NITO municipality recommends that you require separate meetings per salary chapter, in line with the provisions of the Basic Collective Agreement. 

What the discussion meeting will achieve 

A good discussion meeting will be important for real negotiations to be carried out. 

To achieve this, the parties must discuss and seek to reach agreement on matters that are important for achieving a good framework for the negotiations. The negotiating committee in the company group must therefore prepare well for the discussion meeting. 

Gain insight into the employer's situation and signals 

Some of the matters that need to be clarified are of a practical nature, such as the composition of the negotiation committee, the timetable for the negotiations, how and when claims and offers are to be handed over. Other matters can be a little more complicated, such as whether you should deal with slippage and overhangs and who should distribute the salary increases. 

The importance of documenting 

It is very important that minutes are written from the discussion meeting, where it is clearly stated whether you have disagreed and what you have disagreed with. If, during the discussion meeting, you believe that the employer does not follow the principles for the negotiations, this must be brought up in the discussion meeting and minutes recorded. 

After the discussion meeting, you have received important signals from the employer about your situation and priorities. Now you must build a demand that is well-founded and satisfies the negotiation criteria for the local negotiations. 

Linking requirements to HTA regulations 

The negotiation provisions in the Basic Collective Agreement are the basis for the local negotiations. The demand must therefore be well-founded and satisfy the negotiation criteria in the Basic Collective Agreement. Start by identifying which provisions are most relevant to your situation and build your argument around these. 

The provisions in the agreement system are the toolbox when you negotiate. 

Adjust based on signals from the discussion meeting

Use the information you received in the discussion meeting to adapt your argumentation. If the employer signalled special challenges or priorities, the requirement must reflect this. 

Prioritizing arguments 

Not all arguments are equally strong. Prioritise the arguments that best meet the municipality's situation and needs, and which have the strongest basis in the HTA provisions. 

When the actual negotiations start, it is important to have a clear strategy for how the claim will be presented and how you will handle the employer's response. 

How to present the requirement effectively 

Present your claim in a structured and clear way. Start with the strongest arguments and link them to the HTA regulations. Show how the requirement is based on the signals from the discussion meeting and the municipality's own priorities. 

Active listening and questioning techniques 

Actively listen to the employer's arguments and ask follow-up questions. This shows that you take your views seriously, while at the same time giving you the opportunity to find weaknesses in your arguments. 

Dealing with pressure and resistance 

Negotiations can be intense. Keep a constructive tone even if the employer becomes impatient or aggressive. Focus on the issue, not the person, and use the HTA regulations as an objective reference. 

Use of special meetings 

Special meetings can be useful for discussing sensitive issues or when negotiations are deadlocked. Use special meetings strategically to build understanding or find creative solutions. 

Document along the way 

Keep accurate notes during the negotiations. Document the employer's offer, counter-arguments and any concessions. This is important both for your own follow-up and any board proceedings. 

Assign roles in the negotiating delegation

Agree in advance who has which roles. Who leads the negotiations, who documents, who follows up on specific arguments? A good division of roles makes the negotiations more efficient. 

Not all negotiations end in agreement. It is important to know how to handle situations where negotiations are deadlocked, and how to evaluate the outcome when the negotiations are over. 

Consider whether you should take legal action 

If the employer's offer does not reach your breaking limit, you must consider whether you should take legal action. This is a serious decision that must be made by the negotiating committee based on a thorough assessment of the offer against the interests of the members and the negotiation criteria. 

Communication of violations 

If you decide to take legal action, this must be clearly communicated to the employer. Please explain why the offer is not acceptable with reference to the HTA regulations and the arguments you have presented. 

Evaluate the result and learn for next time 

After the negotiations, whether they end in agreement or breakup, it is important to evaluate both the outcome and the process to learn for next time. 

Assess whether the result is acceptable 

If the negotiations ended in agreement, consider whether the outcome is satisfactory in relation to the members' needs and expectations. If there was a violation, consider whether the decision was correct based on the offer and argument .

Evaluate the process 

Look at what worked well and what can be improved. This applies both to the internal cooperation in the negotiation committee and to communication with the employer. 

Report to members 

Give the members a thorough briefing on the result, the reasons for the decisions that were made, and what happens next. 

Preparing for next year's negotiations

Document the learning points and lessons learned that could be useful for next year's negotiations. 

As a union representative, you have access to many resources that can help you in the negotiation work. NITO offers extensive support through specific tools, professional guidance and opportunities for experience sharing.

Templates and documents

You can use these templates as a starting point for your own documents and requirements:

• Sample Claim - 1 
• Sample Claim - 2 
• Example of local salary policy and criteria for individual salary determination
• Minutes of agreement
• Violation protocol  
• Protocol Entries

Support and tools

• Salary statistics: NITO's salary statistics provide you with updated statistics on salary levels for engineers in the local government sector. Use this as documentation in your argumentation.
• Help and advice: NITO's advisors can help with negotiation strategy, questions and argumentation. Do not hesitate to contact the secretariat when you need advice or support. We have extensive experience with negotiations and can provide you with input on strategy and argumentation.
• Union representative courses: Regular courses and gatherings for union representatives where you can share experiences and learn from others.
• Micro courses: Short digital courses on negotiation techniques, HTA regulations and the role of union representatives – see the selection of micro courses.
• Contact with other union representatives: Get in touch with other union representatives in similar municipalities to share experiences and learn from each other's successes and challenges. Find other union representatives.