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The need for new hands is great when winter fishing fully begins in January.
But the corona pandemic makes it difficult and expensive to bring in foreign seasonal workers.
Former Labor Minister Robert Eriksson believes he has the solution.
– Allow those who take a job in the fishing industry to keep 20 percent of unemployment benefits in addition to full salary.
Unemployment benefits and wages
Eriksson views his proposal as a win-win for both the industry, the layoffs and the state.
– The state saves 80 percent on unemployment benefits. The employee is paid better and the fishing industry gets its much-needed labor.
Eriksson currently heads the Sjømatbedriftene association. His proposal comes a day after the Minister of Fisheries asked the unemployed to sign up before the winter fishing.
The industry itself estimates that they need up to 5,000 workers just when fishing for cod.
The crown makes labor immigration very demanding. Businesses fear running out of enough manpower when the cod onslaught hits.
Eriksson expects a change in regulations.
– Instead of hiring a lot of foreign labor that has to go to quarantined hotels. This means higher costs for companies. My proposal is to make a temporary change in the unemployment benefit regulations.
Sell fish for billions
This year, fishermen caught cod worth almost NOK 1.3 billion. A 14 percent increase over the previous year.
In other words, there are great values to manage.
General Manager Jonas Walsøe Berg Seafood at Svolvær likes the new proposal.
Photo: John Inge Johansen / NRK
At Berg Seafood in Svolvær, they already have enough people for next season.
General manager Jonas Walsøe still thinks Eriksson’s idea is a good one.
– Provides incentives to people who want to work. But I also suggest that the industry get some kind of subsidy to put the layoffs to work.
Ask the industry to watch Nav
But the government does not receive any support from the government.
Secretary of State Vegar Einan from the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs believes that it is unfair to offer some unemployment benefits and wages, while others only receive wages.
– That the unemployed receive both social security and income sounds a bit special.
Rather, Einan encourages the fishing industry to contact Nav.
– There is labor available. There are many tens of thousands of people who have been laid off and there are more than 100,000 completely unemployed in Norway. I recommend to the industry contacting Nav and the Nav network for people.
