– Will go back to work – E24

– In some cases, we almost risked our lives. Even if the employer says that your own safety comes first, sometimes it’s hard to prioritize, says Aleksander Danielsen.

He has worked as a security guard since 2011, and with nine years in the industry, he has no doubt that the profession is right for him. He says that since his brother was a security guard patrolling a dog, the desire to be a security guard has been there from a young age.

– But it was only in defense where I saw the guard soldiers in the Department of Guard and Security that I thought that the guards might be the way to go.

– Has the career choice met expectations?

– Whether or not. I thrive very well in the industry and working with people, but this with salary is the downside.

Guards organized in the Norwegian Workers’ Union (LO) and Parat (YS) went on strike on 16 September after mediation on the wage settlement was unsuccessful. A total of 2,169 guards are on strike.

Parat tells E24 that they haven’t stepped up since the last brokerage, but are currently considering an expansion.

Among the demands by employees is an increase in supplements for night and weekend work.

– not surprised

– I think it is very unfortunate that several guards with families with children are struggling to make ends meet. But sadly, I’m not surprised, says Parat leader Unn-Kristin Olsen.

She explains that it is a low-paying profession and believes that it is very poorly paid relative to the responsibilities of many of the guards.

– Not least, many of them have completely irregular working hours, which in turn causes it to affect the entire family life.

Olsen further says that the salary level should be higher with the social responsibility of the guards.

– It is a very special year, and we were aware that we could not do everything we wanted that year here. We have put ourselves within the framework of the border, but we are not on strike because we do not agree with the money. This is because we do not agree that the employer can unilaterally dictate how the money should be distributed.

NHO Service og Handel has not responded to E24’s questions, but CEO Ane-Cecilie Kaltenborn responds that they are willing to come to the negotiating table and want to find a solution to the conflict.

– Must work hard

Danielsen doesn’t think the salary level reflects the work they do. He was one of those eliminated in the first strike on September 16, and the strike is now entering its sixth week.

The father of two also explains that they often have to work long overtime hours to make it work.

– If you have children, like me, you have to work hard to get to the children’s holidays or birthdays. The supplements should be much higher. If the base salary had been the same, but the supplements had increased, it would have been easier.

There are several types of shifts depending on where the guards are located and in which branch they work.

– It is very difficult to work evenings and weekends with two small children. For me, you have to plan, if my wife works, I have to change my night shift for a week, for example.

Great will to hit

– When the news of the strike came, I thought this would end in two weeks. Historically, the longest strike has lasted 11 days, and now it has lasted more than 30.

– Do you think it is justified that the strike lasted so long?

– No. We agreed on the money, it was on the table. It was just about the distribution of money. It is not correct for the employer to dictate where the money goes. It’s how creepy that we are forced to participate in this strike. It shouldn’t even have been mentioned.

– But you miss your work and your colleagues. We are included in many places. Maybe they invite you to a Christmas table, to seminars, you become part of it.

Will go back to work

Danielsen will continue to recommend his profession to young people, but he believes that the salary level is decreasing.

– Do you feel that your profession is valued?

– More now than before. You could say that July 22 put the profession on the map and people opened their eyes to what we really do. In the past, security guards were seen as those who run after shoplifters, but now perhaps more people understand that we do much more than that.