Fish farmer facing strike threat over union bargaining rights
Workers at a Norwegian salmon farming company are preparing
to strike next Tuesday to force their employer into a collective agreement with
their union.
Isqueen AS (Icequeen) is located on Ure in Vestvågøy municipality in Lofoten and has refused to enter into a collective agreement with Norway’s large private sector union Fellesforbundet (the United Federation of Trade Unions) that all the operating technicians/growers in the company belong to.
“It is routine with us to demand a collective agreement when the employees have become members with us,” said union secretary Christian Justnes. “Normally this goes well, but Isqueen has not met our demand.”
Arbitration failed
Mediation was held with the assistance of the state arbitration office on Tuesday without an agreement being reached between the parties.
If the company does not meet the union's demand, 21 members will go on strike on Tuesday, October 8. Isqueen, formerly called Lofoten Polarlaks, operates six sites in three production zones containing one, two, and three farms respectively (see graphic below).
Earlier this year Fellesforbundet, which has more than 3,000 members in the seafood sector, threatened a strike after failing to reach agreement with sector organisation Sjømat Norge (Seafood Norway) about pay and conditions. Industrial action was averted after mediation led to a deal.
