The state collective bargaining settlement is one of the largest in Norway and covers approximately 170,000 employees, including around 80 percent of NTL's working members. The negotiations take place between the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Governance (DFD) on one side, and LO Stat – where NTL is represented – on the other. Parallel negotiations are taking place for the other main trade union confederations.
The negotiations take place at the end of April, with a deadline of May 1st. If no agreement is reached, there will be mediation and a potential strike in May and June.
In the autumn, the central funds are distributed through local negotiations, where employees can submit claims via union representatives before the salary pool is negotiated at the enterprise or operational unit level. Below you can see the most important steps in the process.
Only during main settlement
During a main settlement, which usually occurs in even-numbered years, NTL's locals can submit proposals to the union regarding which demands should be put forward in the state negotiations. The proposals are included in the work on the draft tariff policy statement, which the national executive board ultimately adopts, usually at the national executive committee meeting in February.
End of April
The negotiations take place between the employer function in the state (as of March 2024, this lies with the Ministry of Digitalization and Public Administration) and the main state federations. LO Stat is the main federation that negotiates on behalf of NTL.
The deadline for the state negotiations is April 30.
Mid-May
If no agreement is reached in the negotiations, there will be mediation in an attempt to avoid a strike. There may be mediation for only one or some of the main organizations, or for all of them, depending on who reaches an agreement and who does not.
As a result of the negotiation deadline of April 30 and provisions regarding time limits in the Civil Service Disputes Act, mediation usually ends up taking place around May 20.
End of May
If mediation does not lead to a result either, it will end in a strike. Since so many people work in the state sector, the strike will have to be a targeted strike, meaning that only certain workplaces or offices will be selected to strike on behalf of everyone.
Early autumn
If an amount is set aside in the central negotiations to be distributed in local negotiations, you can submit a salary claim.
If you wish to submit a claim, you can contact your union representative to hear how they want the claim to be submitted. The union representatives will review the submitted claims collectively and present a consolidated claim to the employer at the start of the negotiations.
In the autumn
The negotiations take place at a number of negotiation venues agreed upon in the Collective Agreement, usually at the enterprise level, and in some cases, they can be delegated further, for example to the operational unit level.
The deadlines that apply to the local negotiations are agreed upon during the central negotiations.
You can find a number of tips and templates on the member portal for use during the negotiations.