There is Power in a Union
The first hiccup on our delegation’s journey to Palestine has occurred before we even get out of the country. The labor dispute in Norway has been building for well over a week. A strike by 50000 public sector workers is now in its eighth day and the country is gradually grinding to a standstill. Billy Bragg is right. There is power in a union.
Initially the strike received a reasonable response in the Norwegian media but now commentators and media pundits would have us believe that the conflict is about a minimal increase in wages. It is not. The conflict is about a lot more than pay.
Striking public sector workers in Larvik, Vestfold
It is about the right to full time employment, the (mis)treatment of precarious labor, closing the pay gap for women, protecting the bargaining rights of elected trade union representatives and much more. Negotiations for the mainstream private sector unions were successfully concluded recently and public sector workers expect equality of treatment. The strike is about union solidarity and the Norwegian unions social contract with the Red Green Coalition currently in government.
Striking workers include municipal and state employees in healthcare, kindergardens, schools, colleges, universities, police, judiciary, treasury offices, government ministries and agencies. Mediation in the state sector continues today and will have a bearing on the other areas currently in conflict.
So today, the day of our departure for Palestine, the strike moved up a level with Fagforbundet calling even more public sector workers out on strike. The union for security personnel joined the strike with almost 2000 airport security workers downing tools starting this evening at 18.00.
Our flight tomorrow will be affected. Just how much, we do not know yet but suffice it to say that we will be meeting at the airport at 4 am hoping to get through security checks in time to make the flight. Getting up in the middle of the night to stand in line is something our Palestinian comrades are well used to as they cross over into Israel to work. Looking on the bright side, perhaps the delegation can treat tomorrow as a dry run for crossing into Gaza and the Occupied territories?
Solidarity 