Norway – the Country Club of Europe?

By Hans Christian Monsen

It has been stated that corporatism is the single most conspicuous trait of the Nordic model of labour law and industrial relations.

The basis for the model was established during the 1920-30s, with the first Norwegian Act on Industrial Disputes and the first national, multi-industrial Basic Agreements of 1935 between the Norwegian Employers Association (the NAF) and the only trade union confederation at the time (the AFL). The rise of the Labour Party from 1935 established a long lasting supportive political environment so a reasonable industrial relations environment has been maintained. However the "country club" notion overlooks impediments to labour in relation to the right to strike, secondary industrial action. The increase in fixed term contracts is also threatening to unravel labour protections, particularly as the right wing Progress Party is surging in the polls.

(International Union Rights. vol. 13, issue 4, 2007)