Norwegian electrochemical industry workers warn of strike escalation

Boliden AB

16/08/2022 15:54

OSLO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Norway's electrochemical industry
workers are set to escalate an ongoing strike from next Monday,
if employers don't restart wage talks, Norway's Industri Energi
union said on Tuesday. 
    The union said some 1,115 workers were planning to go on
strike, in addition to 1,422 who went on strike this Monday
after negotiations with employers broke down last weekend.
    If the escalation goes ahead as planned some 655 union
members plan to stop work at Norsk Hydro's  NHY.OL  primary
aluminium plant in Sundal, and 444 members at Alcoa's  AA.N 
aluminium plant in Mosjoeen. 
    "We are putting increased pressure on employers to start the
negotiation process again," Industri Union's leader Frode
Alfheim said.
    The strike, which started on Monday, is initially targeting
several electrochemical plants, including Boliden's  BOL.ST 
zinc smelter in Odda and Glencore's  GLEN.L  nickel refinery in
Kristiansand.
    The union has 7,600 members across the electrochemical
industry and represents them in their wage negotiations.

 (Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; editing by David Evans)
 ((nerijus.adomaitis@thomsonreuters.com; +47 9027 6699; Reuters
Messaging: nerijus.adomaitis.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))