The government steps in and orders compulsory arbitration in the wage negotiations between the nursing homes (NHO Service) and the trade union (Fagforbundet).
Minister of Labor Hanne Bjurstrøm called NHO Service and the trade union into a meeting at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening, where she confirmed that the government steps in to order a compulsory arbitration.
The staff at 13 private nursing homes in Bergen and Oslo and surrounding areas have been on strike since August 22. A total of 173 employees were on strike when the union decided to step up the strike Wednesday.
The strike started when staff demanded equal pension rights, wages and work conditions to employees at public nursing homes. NHO Service became concerned Wednesday that the homes were understaffed, whereas the union claimed that they always exempted one employee for work.
Geir Sverre Braut at the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision, however, confirms that they have received reports of concern from staff. Madserud nursing home in Oslo is one example, says Braut. Wednesday evening there was one staff member taking care of 26 elderly suffering from dementia, he explains.
(NRK)
Julie Ryland
