Therefore, the negotiations on the electrochemical settlement has resulted in a strike.

1 422 Industri Energi members have gone on strike from Monday morning 15^th August (see the full strike statement at the bottom).

Our most important demand is to strengthen the negotiations in collective bargaining at the local level.

The shop stewards in the industry have experienced for a number of years that the local wage negotiations are not carried out as real negotiations. Since 2016, this has been a central topic in the negotiations. This is a situation we can no longer accept, says Frode Alfheim.

He points out that Industri Energi’s members have stood by their company in difficult times and, among other things, have taken the initiative to settle for zero wage increase in order to support the companies’ competitiveness, while our members have not been met with the same goodwill in good times.

In the electrochemical industry, there are collective bargaining at both the national and local level. There is no right to strike in local negotiations. Over time, our members and their representatives have experienced that local negotiations are not carried out in a meaningful way and that we lack the necessary instruments to support productive negotiations at the local level.

Therefore, Industri Energi demands tools to strengthen union representatives in local negotiations. The employers have been completely unwilling to discuss our demands.

– We have been constructive throughout the negotiations, but the employers refuse to discuss how we can further develop the local partnership together, says Frode Alfheim.

Also, the Federation of Norwegian Industries was not willing to negotiate seriously when it came to economic demands.

– The industry is operating with historically high profits. I am simply disappointed not to get an offer that reflects the economic situation in the industry, says Frode Alfheim.

1,422 Industri Energi members in the following companies are on strike from Monday morning 15^th August:

Elkem ASA Salten Verk – 169

Elkem ASA Rana – 89

Elkem ASA Thamshavn – 131

Eramet Norway AS dept. Sauda – 142

Elkem Carbon AS Dept. Carbon – 46

Glencore Nikkelverk AS – 328

Wacker Chemicals Norway AS – 137

Washington Mills AS – 97

Aartun Transport dept. Smelteverket AS (connection agreement) – 28

Total: 1422

Industri Energi has also notified the industry that we can expand the strike with an additional 2,801 members within the aluminium industry. The strike can therefore be stepped up if the employers are not willing to discuss our demands.

The electrochemical agreement covers approximately 7,600 Industri Energi members.