Norway services sector wage talks fail

Norway

OSLO, July 6, 2016 – Negotiations between oilfield services sector workers and employers have failed, Norway’s Industri Energi Union announced on Wednesday. Unless talks resume, a state-appointed mediator will conduct a final, mandatory round of negotiations.

Only after forced mediation are the Norwegian workers in the services sector, some 6,500 in this instance, permitted to go on strike. The threat of a strike has been looming large over the county’s sector for close to a month. The sector’s employers’ representative body, the Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, on Wednesday said the talks were temporarily on hold.

A group of workers covered by a so-called well-services agreement have already begun their round of mandatory mediation. They have until the end of today to reach an agreement – the workers will go on strike on Thursday, Reuters reported.