Child labor has always aroused controversy - especially in Poland. The way Norwegian children earn money during winter holidays is all the more worrying. Children in Lofoten earn up to 1.200 kronor for cutting tongues from cod.
Regional Director of NHO Nordland (Norwegian Employers' Confederation) During an interview with NRK television, Ole Hjartøy does not hide his satisfaction with the work that Norwegian children and teenagers can do. When asked about his opinions, he says: “These children and teenagers not only earn very good money, but also gain valuable professional experience. They learn a valuable lesson, namely that hard work produces tangible results. The children work really hard for this 40.000 crowns weekly. They also get a foretaste of professional life. “
In the same conversation, he also assures that this is probably the best paying job for children in Norway , but also very difficult - it requires commitment and effort. That's many hours of really difficult work.
The continual demand for cod - big catches ...
Cod is of increasing importance in the trading industry. The demand for it is growing - especially in Spain, Sweden, Denmark, England and Germany. The love for this very fish is also emphasized by Willy Godtlieb, head of sales at the Norwegian fishing organization Norges Råfisklag:
“We eat a lot of them in Norway too. Cod tongues are an important additional raw material in production. '
Picturesque Lofoten and young workers
Beautiful nature, picturesque Lofoten, and in the background the hard and quite unusual work of children. On the one hand, it allows the children to earn their first money, and is a kind of step towards adulthood. On the other hand, it is a way of earning money that may be morally questionable. We leave it for individual assessment ...