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Bus traffic in eastern Norway is affected by the strike as early as 0600 on Sunday, after negotiations broke down on Sunday night.
STRIKE: Almost 4,000 drivers have been on strike since 06:00 on Sunday morning.
Øyvind Engan
Published:,
None of Ruter’s city and regional buses run. This affects Oslo and earlier Akershus, which is Ruter’s catchment area in eastern Norway. There are some exceptions for school and special trips, which Ruter reports on his website.
All buses to Østfold and Brakar public transport are also stopped, with some exceptions for school transport.
The strike will also affect the bus for train service to Vy, airport buses and school buses, writes NTB.
– I am disappointed that we did not find a solution, says national mediator Mats Wilhelm Ruland to VG.
Fellesforbundet and the other employee organizations were in negotiations with NHO Logistikk og Transport og Spekter until late Saturday night, but never reached a solution.
DISAPPOINTED: Ombudsman Mats Wilhelm Ruland failed to submit a sketch to the parties.
Ørn E. Borgen / NTB
– It has not been possible to find a solution from which the parties have benefited. There has been no basis for me to submit any sketch, says Ruland.
The Ombudsman adds that he is optimistic in the long term.
– It happens that all conflicts pass and this one will do the same. We will help you with that.
12,000 can be drawn
Fellesforbundet chief negotiator Dag-Einar Sivertsen confirms that there was “a good distance” between the parties.
– The wages of bus drivers have lagged behind the development of other wage groups in our society for many years. So far we have had a real agreement with the other party that we will raise up to a salary that we can live on, but we have not succeeded, Sivertsen tells VG.
3,800 bus drivers in Oslo and Viken will go on strike starting at 0600 on Sunday. If the conflict persists, a total of about 12,000 drivers could be removed.
– We have announced that we will do a relatively quick climb, says Sivertsen.
Sorry for the passengers
– We think it is very unfortunate, disappointing and regrettable that we cannot get passengers where they are going, NHL Logistics and Transport CEO Jon H. Stordrange tells VG.
Stordrange believes the drivers made demands that employers cannot meet.
– In the current situation, the number of travelers has been drastically reduced. This means that revenues have dropped dramatically, which means that we must look for cost reductions in the future. We are concerned about saving jobs, he emphasizes.
– breach of promise
Union leader Jim Klungnes of the Trade Traffic Association believes employers are breaking a promise they had previously made.
– We are disappointed that the employer does not understand that bus drivers have lagged behind in terms of pay. We have a prior agreement that the wage should be close to the industrial worker’s wage, and then we get an offer that goes in the wrong direction. It’s a breach of promise, Klungnes says.
