Wage settlements and a new pension agreement

The state sector
All members of Forskerforbundet working in universities and university colleges are state employees. The wage settlement in the state sector was taken to a compulsory mediation, as the parties were not able to agree on a new basic collective agreement through the initial negotiations. On the 24^th of May, sixteen hours past the original deadline, the mediators presented a settlement that the parties could finally agree on.

The settlement provides an annual pay growth of 2,8 percent for state employees. Approximately half of the pay growth is given as a general addition to all employees, while the other half is to be distributed through local wage negotiations.

Forskerforbundet is content with several breakthroughs during the mediation process. Important mechanisms in the wage system, that the government wanted to remove, was maintained. The starting wage level of all pay frameworks has been increased, which is especially positive for postdocs.

The local government sector (KS) and Oslo
The wage settlements in the local government sector was completed on 30^th of April. The settlement provides an annual pay growth of 2,84 percent, and an annual pay growth of 2,94 percent for employees with higher education. All wages will be negotiated at the local level (most negotiations will take place in the autumn).

The negotiations with Oslo local government was also completed on 30^th of April, with an annual pay growth of approximately 2.8 percent.

Spekter and Virke
A large number of Forskerforbundet’s members working in hospitals or museums, are affected by the negotiations with Spekter. These negotiations are still ongoing.

The negotiations with Virke will take place the coming autumn.

Abelia/NHO
Members of Forskerforbundet working in the research institute sector are affected by the negotiations with Abelia. These negotiations has not yet started. Traditionally, wage settlements in Abelia are close to the result in the state sector.

KA – the church sector
Negotiations in the church sector will start in June.

New pension agreement for the public sector
On March 3rd the government and labour organisations reached an agreement on a new pension arrangement for the public sector in Norway. The new arrangement will apply for those born in 1963 and later. Accumulation of pension under the new scheme will begin from 2020. Instead of the current situation, where your pension is calculated from your final salary, you will accumulate pension as part of your salary in the same way as Social Security insurance.

The main objective behind the new agreement, is to meet Norway’s rising pension expenses by making the work force work longer. The Norwegian parliament passed a resolution in 2009 to achieve this objective. This resolution caused the existing pension agreement to become more and more problematic for public workers, and especially for young employees. The new pension agreement is not perfect, but it ensures that young employees must work fewer years to reach a full pension, than if the old agreement was continued.

Forskerforbundet recently held a referendum on the new pension arrangement. 93 percent of our members voted yes to the new agreement. All other labour organisations have also voted yes.