Foreign workers are being exploited

Fellesforbundets Jørn Eggum.Photo : Vidar Ruud / NTB scanpix

Increased tourism means that many foreign workers working in Norway during the summer months are now arguing to the Federation that they are being exploited by employers.

– With the major activity that is in the tourist market, there are many foreign workers working in Norway this summer. They are exploited in terms of salary, and receive far below what would have been standard wages for this industry, says Jørn Howard, leader of the Federation, to TV 2 news.

He adds that the Federation has received numerous tips about poor pay and illegal amount of work during the summer months.

– There are extra amounts of work  from May to August. We also see cases where workers have to sometimes spend all day at work, said Eggum.

Jostein Hansen, director of employment policy in the Norwegian Hospitality Association believes it is unacceptable that seasonal workers get exploited, but maintains at the same time that the problem is not widespread.

– It is unacceptable and illegal, but we see only a few examples of this. There are two recent studies showing that this industry does not differ from other industries, said Hansen.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today