– Not only is it rude, it is also a blatant lie – E24

Jon H. Stordrange, CEO of NHO Transport, represents the business community in negotiations with bus drivers.

The night before Sunday, there was a breakdown in negotiations between the parties, which has led to 3,800 bus drivers in Oslo, Viken, Østfold and Brakar going on strike.

Stordrange says the work life associations came in with high demands before the mediation.

– They stated that they should have an annual salary increase of approximately 40,000 crowns, or 20 crowns per hour. This is well above what all the other groups have received so far in the settlement, the other groups have been content with two or three crowns per hour.

The business community offered three crowns an hour, but the unions rejected the offer.

– Because they had put the list and the expectations so high, that they could not accept it. We feel that we cannot go higher than what other groups have received. Neither in the public, municipal or private sector.

It also notes that more people in passenger transport have noticed a decrease in passenger numbers after the crown restrictions were implemented, leading to fewer travelers and lower ticket revenue.

Believe the wage claim is fully documented

In response to Stordrange’s statements in this case, Jørn Eggum, the head of Fellesforbundet, tells E24 that the statements on behalf of the employers are sensational.

– Fellesforbundet has thoroughly documented that bus drivers are 40,000 kroner after groups we agree with employers we should compare ourselves with. Pretending that it is a requirement to close this entire hole in a salary agreement is not only rude, it is also a blatant lie, says Eggum, adding:

– We could have landed this arrangement in the framework of the subject of the front, but the businessmen who have been granted a salary party in recent years have effectively put a stop to this.

Possible layoffs and layoffs

Stordrange says the loss of ticket revenue has been made up so far, but that there is no guarantee that it will happen in the future.

– So we just have to look at the costs and reduce them. We need to look at job cuts, downsizing, and perhaps driver layoffs. So we are more concerned with saving costs and maintaining a good offer to passengers than with giving a salary increase beyond what other groups have received.

– Should the crown crisis have an impact on what many believe is an unreasonably low salary in the first place?

– We believe that bus drivers are not defined as low paid occupations. They are above what is called the low salary limit and have an average income of approximately NOK 450,000 per year. We do not believe that the salary is as low as they try to represent it.

– A union leader has stated that the crisis in the crown is now used as an excuse in these negotiations, about something that should have changed a long time ago. what do you think about it?

– No, that’s not right either. They have had good salary growth since the collective agreement was implemented in 2006-2007. We think they have done well in relation to other groups. Previously, they were below what we call the low wage limit, but now they have been exceeded.

– But if it is the demands of the union, isn’t it better to cut costs and reach an agreement on the salary front?

– No, we do not want to say that, because we want to maintain a good offer to passengers. If we cut too many positions then it is difficult to maintain the routes we have, at least during rush hour. So passengers are very high on our list, they are the ones we will take care of and transport to work and school and leisure activities.

Right on the edge

The Fellesforbundet leader believes he is on the edge of Stordrange using crown as an argument.

– Our trained bus drivers have done an incredibly important job on the front lines during the crown situation. It would be completely wrong to use this as an argument to turn them into salary losers.

– It will hit the whole country

The unions have announced that if an agreement is not reached, the strike will intensify and 12,000 will be withdrawn.

– Will there be any existing bus service in the country if that happens?

– No, then it will affect the whole country. And it’s very serious, so we don’t expect it to happen. But, I guess they have plans for that. In Norway, there are approximately 16,000 employees in the bus industry, and approximately 12 to 13,000 of them are bus drivers.

The unions have announced that they will intensify the strike, but as of Sunday morning NHO Transport has not received any notice of the alleged resignation. You must be notified four days before more bus drivers go on strike.

– The notification can arrive at any time.

– How did it feel to be in the driver’s seat in the industry’s first strike in 22 years?

– I think it’s a great responsibility. And I hope that we can get back to the negotiating table and get the drivers back as soon as possible and get the passengers back where they are going. That is our social task, and we will try to resume it as soon as possible.