More than 8,000 Norwegian bus drivers on strike, no talks underway
More than 8,000 bus drivers have gone on strike around the country.
On Monday morning, there was still no contact between the employee side and the employer side.
More than 8,000 bus drivers have gone on strike around the country.
More than a week after bus drivers in Oslo and Viken started their strike, no talks are underway, according to communications manager in the Yrkestrafikkforbundet union Tormund Hansen Skinnarmo.
“Nothing new, no contact,” he wrote in an SMS to news bureau NTB.
This weekend, the strike escalated, and another 4,500 bus drivers joined the 3,800 drivers who had already put their jobs on hold.
Jon H. Stordrange, CEO of NHO Transport, also confirmed that no contact had been established.
“The employer side is adamant about its offer, which provides wage growth at the same level as other occupational groups have received in this year’s settlement,” he said.
Hospital management in Bergen concerned
Bergen is one of the cities affected by the escalation of the strike – and the management at Haukeland University Hospital is worried.
“We are, of course, concerned about the combination of COVID-19 and a lack of bus transport in our area,” CEO Eivind Hansen told Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK).
Bergen municipality has recently been exposed to an outbreak of infection and has introduced several infection control measures.
The hospital management now encourages staff and patients to walk or cycle to work if they can.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
