Norway oil union leader says wage deal has 'a lot of good things'

Orron Energy AB

20/06/2022 13:11

OSLO, June 20 (Reuters) - The leader of a Norwegian oil
workers' union said on Monday a wage deal struck with oil
companies "had a lot of good things" and that he hadn't heard
negative feedback from members, suggesting it could get approval
and strike action would be averted.    
    Two of three unions that negotiated the agreement earlier
this month are seeking approval from their members before they
formally endorse it. If they don't, a strike could hit petroleum
output.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2XZ05V
    Norway is Western Europe's largest oil and gas producer. 
    Audun Ingvartsen, leader of the Lederne union, said he
personally thought the offer, which he said gave a pay rise of
between 4% and 4.5% and includes extra benefits, had positive
elements. 
    "The deal has a lot of good things," he said in an
interview. "Hopefully, our members will say yes, and there will
be no strike ... I haven't heard much of negative reaction," he
said.
    "If it's a big 'No', then we will, of course, have to listen
to our members."
    The leader of the other union seeking members' approval,
Safe, earlier told Reuters she would personally recommend it as
it was "good enough".  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2Y028N
    Neither union is issuing a formal recommendation to members
on how to vote, which they have to do by June 30.
    The third and final union involved in the talks, Industri
Energi, accepted the wage deal without seeking members'
go-ahead. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2XZ05V
    The 4-4.5% wage increase Ingvartsen referred to compares
with a hike of 3.7% agreed under a framework agreement between
Norway's main employee and employer organisations in April,
which sets the benchmark for sector wage talks in Norway.
    Since then, inflation in Norway has accelerated, rising to
5.7% in May year-on-year. The statistics agency now expects
prices to rise 4.7% in 2022, up from the 3.3% it predicted in
March.

 (Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis; Editing by Susan Fenton)
 ((nerijus.adomaitis@thomsonreuters.com; +47 9027 6699; Reuters
Messaging: nerijus.adomaitis.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))