On Sunday night, the conflict between NHO Luftfart and the Norwegian Aircraft Technician Organization (NFO) escalated with a lockout. That means 450 aircraft technicians are not allowed to go to work.

Widerøe is hard hit by the aircraft technician conflict and cancels over 200 departures on Monday.

– We are now facing a lot of cancellations, says press manager in Widerøe Catharina Solli to NRK.

The company canceled several flights this weekend and is now canceling all flights the short-haul network until this afternoon.

– Many aircraft need technical supervision and do not get this as the situation is right now, she says.

Has consequences for hospitals in northern Norway

The cancellations on the short-haul network have had consequences for hospitals in northern Norway.

The hospital in Finnmark raises the level of preparedness green levelwhile the hospital in Helgaland is seen in yellow alert. They do this because substitutes do not get to work.

At the same time, the hospital in Hammerfest has been forced to cancel several scheduled medical hours because more specialists are not coming to the hospital. This is confirmed by NRK’s ​​communications manager at Eirik Palm Hospital.

Harder than other companies

On Monday, more than 230 cancellations were reported, an overview shows VG.

Norwegian has canceled two flights, while SAS has canceled 25. But the cancellations to SAS, for example, have nothing to do with the lockout, says press contact in SAS Lars Wigelstorp Andersen to NRK.

It may then appear that airlines such as SAS and Norwegian are not as affected by labor disputes as Widerøe.

Solli says it is because Widerøe has many and short flights.

– A plane with us has up to 26 flights in one day, Solli explains and adds:

– So if this one plane needs technical maintenance, there will be many departures.

Some of the longer flights to Widerøe have also been canceled, but the company is trying as best it can to keep up with normal operations.

NFO says they will get in touch

– We are very disappointed that NHO Luftfart so far does not show any initiative to take up the dialogue to agree on further negotiations to reach an agreement, writes NFO in a press release.

Furthermore, it is stated that NFO will contact NHO to come up with a proposal to reduce the wage requirement. But only in exchange for them being allowed to retain the trade union right for technicians in administrative positions and technicians in education.

NHO, for its part, is also ready to take up the negotiations.

– If NFO is willing to resume negotiations in a constructive way with realistic demands, we are ready to negotiate, says Torbjørn Lothe, CEO of NHO Luftfart.

For example, they have not received a request from the NFO and therefore do not know what the union sees as a solution to the conflict.

– NHO Luftfart wants to find a solution to the strike that has affected air traffic throughout the country. We view positively that NFO signals when they want a solution.

Broker at Riksmeklaren, Carl Petter Martinsen tells NRK that the parties have not contacted him yet, and that they are free to do so if they need help with the negotiations.

– Unpopular strike

– This is a very unpopular strike, victory Professor of Economics at the Norwegian School of Management Frode Steen.

This is because the labor dispute creates uncertainty about health and whether people get to the hospital, Steen says.

It may be hours before the ambulance plane can be seen on the ground. At the same time, another consequence may be that patients do not receive cancer medicine.

– I think it is not long until the government has enough argument to say that there will be a wage board, he says.

It is the Norwegian Board of Health and the Ministry of Labor and Social Inclusion that assesses and approves a compulsory wage board if there is a danger to life and health.

The ministry informed NRK yesterday that the minister is following the conflict.