Listhaug says the LO union and Arbeiderpartiet (Ap) do not own the 1st of May

Sylvi ListhaugSylvi Listhaug (Progress Party). Photo: Progress Party

Sylvi Listhaug looks forward to holding an appeal in Drammen on May 1st. She believes Fremskrittsparti (Frp) is much more of a party for workers than what the Labour Party (Ap) is.

 

‘’It’s not Labour Day or LO’s day. The day belongs to the workers in Norway, and many of them are neither members of Ap or LO,’’ she told NTB news.

As immigration minister, Listhaug was in Drammen on May the 1st two years ago as well. It was the first time she held an appeal on the workers’ day.

‘’I have no special relationship with that day. My parents are farmers, and May the1st was a nice day to do farm work,’’ she said.

Up to each one

It’s been a month since she left the justice ministry. Now she is a parliamentary representative and electoral politician. That some may be insinuating that Frp is using May the 1st for political agitation, she doesn’t understand.

“It’s up to most people to choose how to use the 1st of May or 15th of May and the 17th of May for that matter. At least, Ap or LO do not matter,’’ she said.

Despite the fact that May the 1st does not mean the world for her personally, she believes it is important to mark the day.

“It is important to emphasise all the workers in Norway who are building roads and houses, or emptying garbage for that matter. There has been an attitude in Norway that taking a diploma is not good enough. We must discard that attitude. Everybody can not be doctors, lawyers and engineers,’’ she said.

Re-negotiate the EEA

Listhaug believes that Norwegian working life is good, but does not hesitate to conclude that social dumping is taking place in parts of Norwegian working life.

“The EEA Agreement has served Norway well in many areas, not least because Norwegian export companies have access to large markets. But there are also challenges with the agreement, including the free movement of labour and social security,’’ she said.

Listhaug indicated that Frp will renegotiate parts of the EEA Agreement, which the party has not received through the government.

Immigration

Prior to the event in Drammen on the 1st of May, the former Minister for Immigration verbally attacked Ap.

‘’First of all, Ap will tax the workers harder, so that ordinary people will be left with less in their wallet. And many workers are worried about Norway and our future. Then we must take it seriously, and much of it’s about immigration policy,’’ she said.

“For many unskilled workers, the pressure on jobs will become harder as more people come to Norway without higher education. These are the people who most closely notice the consequences of immigration, not attorneys and doctors,’’ added Listhaug.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today