in Oslo, Viken and Vestfold.
Before the election, the Labor Party promised a ban on hiring workers. Now Minister of Labor Hadia Tajik (Labour Party) proposes to implement the project. It only applies to this construction industry and only in the eastern region of Norway – Oslo, Viken and Vestfold.
He points out that the scope of employment in this industry is almost twice as large in the Oslo area as in the rest of the country.
- That is why we see the need to delimit it geographically. At the same time, we will closely observe how the scope of employment is also developing in other parts of the country - he says.
Important changes
The government considers that the use of hiring by recruiting firms is generally limited to temporary employment. On Wednesday, January 19.01, they will present for consultation the following measures to limit such practices:
-No hiring from recruiting companies on construction sites in Oslo, Viken and formerly Vestfold.
-Cancellation of the right to employment for temporary work.
-Give the employee more rights, such as extending the right to be a permanent employee and shortening the time before the right to become a permanent employee.
-Enter a control scheme to get rid of hiring companies that grossly exploit workers.
-Clarifying the boundary between hiring and contracting. Tightening employment regulations may involve an increased risk of circumvention when employment is referred to as an employment contract, therefore the law should be clarified.
Concern at the NHO
The NHO is concerned that a ban on such hiring could induce companies to refuse orders, which in turn could jeopardize construction projects. Director Nina Melsom has heard from many companies who are very concerned and believe that the government is going too far.
- We want permanent employment, but companies must have some form of flexibility. You cannot hire on the basis of peak work and needs at any given time. Then it will turn out that after the peak demand there will be many workers on the bench and it will be very unprofitable, he says for NRK.
He believes that not only the construction industry in the eastern region will suffer from the abolition of temporary employment, but also many smaller companies.
- We assume that the government will allow employment in those cases where there are large unions. If only large companies are able to rent, it will in turn be unfavorable for competition, for small and medium-sized companies. Regions will also be affected differently.
- Operation under pressure
Hadia Tajik emphasizes in an interview with FriFagbevegelse that apart from the construction industry in eastern Norway will still be able to employ workers from an employment agency. Only if these are real temporary positions and after consultation with the shop stewards. He admits that this may lead to pressure on shop stewards.
- Yes, it will. But we also have a proposal that will be of help to the shop stewards. We are asking for your opinion on the proposal that employees of the recruitment agency should have the right to a permanent position after two years, even if the person has been hired in agreement with shop stewards. This was not possible before, and that needs to be changed.
Source: NTB
Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
Read our next article: How to look for a job in Norway
