The government will ban companies from hiring more than 10-15% of their workforce as casual labour, to make life more secure for full time employees in the construction industry (building trade).
According to VG newspaper, Labour Minister, Anniken Hauglie of Høyre (H) wants to end what the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), and Arbeiderpartiet (Ap – Labour Party), have referred to as slave contracts in the building trade.
She will clarify points in the Working Environment Act about which rights are due to those hired as permanent employees, and emphasize the amount of casual labour that companies can hire; and she wants measures introduced that ensure that the use of casual labour covers real needs.
‘We have collaborated closely with workplaces, and consulted with LO and the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) toward this end. Now we’ll make sure that the full time employees gain momentum, and that permanent employment, with predictable pay and working conditions, will be the rule, rather than the exception, and that includes the building and construction sector,’ Hauglie told VG newspaper.
Hauglie’s suggestions:
* Explain the definition of ‘permanent employment’ in the Working Environment Act. Among other reasons, this is to ensure that permanent employees receive salary between assignments.
* Introduce a quota of hired, casual labour in certain industries, especially construction, to probably approximately 10-15%, and a legal promise that other labour will consist of direct employees of the business.
* Allow temporary employment agencies to recruit temporary employees if they are to fill real-life vacancies.
The proposals will be put to consultation before the summer holiday, and the final political bills will be submitted to parliament by the autumn.
© NTB Scanpix / Norway Today
