The strike continues...

Well, elsewhere in Europe, and the rest of the world, everyone is happy at the moment if they have a job and can afford the rent or mortgage. Here in Norway, however, the public sector feels aggrieved enough - and secure enough - go on strike.

The strike has been going for about 12 days now and bins are not being emptied, some kindergardens and schools are closed, the captains of the pilot boats which take the pilots out to cruise ships and other commercial vessels are striking, back-room police staff are striking, even some of the weather men are on strike! As usual the strike is over pay.

Apparently, salaries have become so equal throughout the public sector (and taxation so high that a pay imcrease goes nowhere) that employees in middle management roles are refusing to train or apply for leadership roles as the increase in salary does not make it worth their while. The same goes for those at the lower end of the scale rising into middle management. Part of the problem with this strike is that the various union organisations which have members in the piblic sector are not in agreement about how to tackle this problem - so the State is sitting back offering a pay increase of just under 4% across the board, and leaving it to the unions to agree on how to spread the cash.

Everyone wants to make it more attractive to be in a responsible job, but the culture just isn't there for giving people high salaries. This is a society where consensus and equality are highly valued, and quality of life is not measured so much in the kind of car you drive or house you own, but more in life style, leisure time and a decent pension. So, until the unions can agree between themselves on what they really want to achieve from this strike it will continue - maybe it is just as well the cruise ships are not coming to town at the moment and adding to the rubbish mountain on the streets.