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On Sunday morning, 3,800 bus drivers in Oslo and Viken went on strike. All city and regional buses are affected, including the public transport company Ruter and the Østfold public transport.
This means that the city and regional buses just don’t work.
– In no way comes close to an agreement, that’s why we are on strike Communications manager at Fellesforbundet, André Nerheim, tells Dagbladet on Sunday night.
May cripple eastern Norway
It can have major consequences for Norwegians who are now entering a new work and school week.
Ruter stated in a press release Sunday that travelers are being encouraged to find alternative modes of transportation, or that people refrain from traveling.
It can hit the whole country
However, it is not known how long the strike will last. But Nerheim emphasizes that bus drivers are extremely motivated and ready for a long battle if necessary.
– If we do not reach an agreement, the strike may intensify. There are potentially 12,000 drivers in Yrkestrafikkforbundet, Fellesforbundet, Jernbaneforbundet and Fagforbundet who are ready for a strike, Nerheim says.
Then bus traffic across the country will be affected.
NHO Transport CEO Jon Stordrange represents the business community in the negotiations. Stordrange says unions have too high expectations and demands for wage negotiations.
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– They want a raise of SEK 20 per hour, or SEK 40,000 a year. Other groups have had growth of between two and three crowns per hour, and so we don’t think we can go any higher than that, he tells Dagbladet.
However, the unions do not agree. Stordrange has screwed up a corner, twists facts and expects sympathy. What we have said is that drivers earn 20 kroner less per hour than the groups that we and NHO agree to compare ourselves with. We just want a living wage. Drivers have been promised pay growth for 13 years. Now they are bored, enough is enough, says Nerheim.
– If employers win with their demands, it will affect the future of the profession to a negative degree, says Nerheim.
– Very unfortunate
The strike in eastern Norway affects both workers and school children. The next week may present several challenges: in Oslo there is a danger that the trams and the subway will be full, while the residents of Viken run the risk of having to walk long distances.
Stordrange regrets that the strike affects passengers.
– It is very unfortunate that people now have to find alternative ways of traveling, be it to school, the workplace or leisure activities. Unfortunately, it is our passengers who are most affected by the strike, he says, adding:
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– But as the situation is now, we cannot meet the requirements of the other party, and then we simply have no other choice.
The fear of a strike will increase the risk of infection.
Councilor Raymond Johansen (Labor Party) fears that the bus strike could further spread the infection.
– There are many reasons to fear that the strike may contribute to an increase in infection. I am concerned about increasing congestion and hope the strike will be short-lived, Johansen told Aftenposten on Sunday.
The city council leader encourages all Oslo citizens who can have a home office to work from home while the strike continues. Oslo’s chief infection control physician, Frode Hagen, also recommends that everyone bike or walk and avoid public transport during periods when many people travel.
What do you think of the fact that the strike could potentially lead to an increase in infection in society?
– We hope that the working life associations will realize the seriousness of the situation and demonstrate social responsibility and a spirit of hard work so that the buses return to traffic and avoid large crowds on trams and subways. In the meantime, we support Councilor Johansen and encourage home office and bicycle use, Stordrange tells Dagbladet.
