Nurses threaten strike over pay; mediators work overtime after deadline

Negotiations between the Norwegian Nurses Union (NSF) and the employer association NHO Geneo have stalled, leading to a warning that 133 nurses employed by private health providers in Oslo, Bergen, Moelv and Lillehammer could walk out on strike starting Wednesday morning. The workers are stationed in facilities such as a street hospital, patient hotels, rehabilitation centres and medical centres. After the midnight deadline passed, state mediator Mats Ruland announced that mediation would continue on an overtime basis.

NSF head Lill Sverresdatter Larsen criticized the latest proposal as considerably weaker than agreements in other tariff areas and demanded at least the same level as in the public sector (KS area). NHO Geneo’s managing director Karita Bekkemellem countered that the requested wages are too high given the very low margins and financial pressure facing the companies, warning that costly wage deals without contract adjustments could push businesses into loss.