Extensive strike threatens Norway's cultural life: "Patience is over"

The cultural workers believe that the current pension system is unfair.

As women on average live longer than men, with the current pension system they receive a lower lifetime pension, according to the unions LO Stat, Creo and NTL, which represent the cultural workers.

- The system we have today is calculated to be for ten years.

It can be extended, but then there will be less pension for each year.

It affects women, says Lise Olsen.

By introducing a so-called hybrid pension, which already exists in several other sectors in Norway, cultural workers want to even out the differences.

- We hope that employers will use their common sense and realize that the scheme we are asking for is the only right one for employees to receive a safe and good pension in the long term.

This is especially true for those who are young today and who will live a long time.

"Patience is over"

The cultural workers work on several of the country's largest stages, including the Opera House, the National Theater in Oslo and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

Several unions in Norway have for six years tried to get better pensions.

- Now the patience is over, we have to put a stop to it so we get a permanent attitude, says Lise Olsen.

Can affect cultural life

On Thursday, the unions sit down to mediate with the employers' organization Spekter.

But if the demands are not met before midnight, the strike will begin on Friday morning.

In that case, it is likely to have real consequences for Norway's cultural life.

- We have members at institutions such as the opera, the theater (in Oslo) and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra.

This can take a long time.

Stressful situation

The Oslo Opera tells Norwegian NRK that they hope that the parties can agree, because the cultural sector is already so strained and pressured due to the pandemic.

The current pension system for cultural workers in Norway was temporarily introduced in 2016, largely due to a pressured financial situation at several of the country's cultural institutions.

The unions say that employers have not kept their promises about a renewed pension system that was given when the temporary system was introduced in 2016.

But Spekter's communications director Gunnar Larsen dismisses the criticism.

- When we agreed in 2016, we had discussions about pension legislation.

We promised that if there were to be changes in it, we would be open to reviewing the need for change.

These changes have not come, and the situation has therefore not changed, he tells NRK.