The Defense union warns of struggle against layoffs

Sessvollmoen.Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide.: Torstein Bøe / NTB scanpix

The union for Defense personell warns of a “fight on all fronts” against the government’s plan to lay off around 1,000 employees without a severance package offer, writes the paper Klassekampen.

“The Defence Minister is declaring war on our personnel,” writes the Military Officers’ Council (BFO) after it became known that Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide wrote in an internal memo  that personell  should be fired without compensation.

According to the newspaper, which revealed the content of the note on Saturday , the Minister is expecting both lawsuits and loss of reputation associated with the extensive cull.

– This is unacceptable, says leader Jens Jahren in BFO. He thinks the cuts are unrealistic and believes the union, with close to 10,000 members, is being stabbed in the back.

– If the leak is true, this is something we will fight tooth and nail, says manager Paul Arnesen at YS Stat. He is open to a legal dispute if the negotiations do not  lead anywhere.

The Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that the downsizing will happen “in close cooperation with the military service organizations.” The Ministry has not commented on Monday’s announcement.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today

 

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