Norway energy technicians face potential strike at major grid companies

Negotiations regarding the energy agreement between the EL og IT Forbundet union and Fornybar Norge are scheduled for August 26 and 27. If these talks fail, a strike could begin on Friday, August 28.

The potential industrial action would initially involve 951 members, primarily energy technicians and apprentices. The strike would affect three major Norwegian grid companies: Elvia (serving Eastern Norway), BKK (serving Western Norway), and Tensio (serving Mid-Norway/Trøndelag).

Bjørn Fornes, negotiation leader for EL og IT, stated that a strike could halt new infrastructure projects and delay repairs to the power grid in the event of faults. Key points of contention include employer demands to weaken on-call and emergency preparedness provisions, as well as wage development for lower-earning employees.