The Royal Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Oslo Press Division

Norway Daily No. 85/00

Date: 4 May 2000

BOTH WAITING FOR THE OTHER TO MAKE THE FIRST MOVE (Nationen)

Several long days of striking are now to be expected. While Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) president Yngve Hågensen sits on the fence waiting for a phone call from the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry (NHO), NHO Director General Finn Bergesen jr. is waiting for the LO to present its list of demands. Neither of them anticipate an immediate end to the conflict.

LO DECLINES TO FORMULATE NEW DEMANDS (Klassekampen)

In his meeting with the press on the first day of the strike, LO president Yngve Hågensen declined to formulate new demands to present to the NHO, nor would he comment on possible pay raises. He made it clear that the strike would not put life and health at risk.

MEDIATOR WAITS FOR INITIATIVE FROM BELLIGERENTS (NTB)

Experience has made me extremely reluctant to call in opposing parties without a specific reason, says state mediator Reidar Webster. Mr. Webster figures an unsuccessful attempt at mediation is more likely to entrench them even more firmly, so he sees no reason to call them together to even try.

STRIKEBREAKING IN NHO HEADQUARTERS (Dagsavisen)

The NHO has assigned two of its own employees to the reception desk normally staffed by Securitas guards who are now on strike. This is strikebreaking, says Arnfinn Nilsen of the Norwegian Union of General Workers (AOF). It is nowhere near strikebreaking, insists the NHO’s Finn Langeland. The LO is expected to announce a sharp escalation of the strike today. Yngve Hågensen emphasizes that escalation must not bring on compulsory mediation.

THINGS JUST AREN’T THE SAME (Vårt Land)

Because of the strike, only one of Norway’s ten largest newspapers came out today. 1,258,887 newspaper subscribers in the nation boasting the world’s most avid newspaper readers will have to do without. Norway observed World Press Freedom Day yesterday by emancipating the people from some of their newspapers.

STOLTENBERG PLEDGES BOOST TO LIFELONG LEARNING REFORM (Dagsavisen)

The NHO rejected the LO’s demand to help defray costs for workers opting for further education on their own initiative. This is one of the major reasons why 84,600 union members have walked off the job. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg now proclaims that the Government will do everything in its power to see this reform adopted. We will not give up until the entire reform is in place, says Mr. Stoltenberg.

NHO LEADER CRITICIZES EXECUTIVE PAY RAISES (NTB/NRK)

It was unwise of a few corporate executives to take huge pay raises right before this year’s labour negotiations were scheduled to begin, says Arne Eidsmo, NHO regional director in Troms County. Mr. Eidsmo feels the pay raises taken by these businessmen violate the moderation line which the NHO has been following. In the future, senior management should limit their raises to what most others are getting, he says.

WORTH NOTING

• According to Dagens Næringsliv, the LO secretariat is expected to announce their decision today to escalate the strike. This will take an additional 80,000 workers out of work. Airlines, busses, long-haul trucking and the state-owned wine and spirits outlets will probably be affected. Service stations, pharmaceuticals, janitor services and the construction industry will also be brought to a halt. Production of meat products, bakery goods and additional newspapers and periodicals may also be forced to shut down on Tuesday. (NTB)
• Public sector employees demand a new, specific offer from employers by 14:00 Thursday afternoon. If an offer is not forthcoming, mediation will begin in the public sector as well. (NTB)
• The Progress Party is up 1.7 points and the Christian Democrats are down 1.8 points in a poll taken by AC Nielsen. Labour seems to have stabilized at around 37 per cent. Negligible changes were noted for the other parties. (Dagsavisen)
• The Conservatives accuse Labour of capitulating to the political centre in the area of farm policy. For now, Labour ensures majority support for the Bondevik Government’s agricultural policy. (NTB)
• Prof. Eivind Smith, one of Norway’s leading experts in public law, has been asked to lead the investigation of the Gardermoen project. (Aftenposten/Nett)

TODAY’S COMMENT from Dagsavisen

It must be an embarrassment to the Norwegian Supreme Court that for the third time in three years, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has overruled our highest judicial body. The judgement handed down in Strasbourg instructs Norway’s Supreme Court justices, in unequivocal terms, how freedom of speech is one of the essential underpinnings of a democratic society. Last year, the court found in favour of the newspaper Tromsø after the Norwegian Supreme Court had ruled against it for having printed a report by sealing inspector Odd Lindberg. And then there were two police officers who were cleared after having first been found guilty of libel against law professor Anders Bratholm.

Tuesday’s decision in favour of Bergens Tidende struck down a judgement for libel committed by the newspaper against a doctor in private practice in Bergen. The original ruling against Bergens Tidende is from six years back, however, and does not necessarily represent the current judicial mood of the Supreme Court. Yet these three decisions are a sharp corrective to Norway’s judicial power, and indicate that Article 100 of the Norwegian Constitution should be updated to European standards.