Expert lends itself – accepts collective agreement for the employees – Dagbladet.no

- Strikes and boycotts can have major consequences. The risk we were not willing to take, says HR and personnel manager Morten Hovland Expert.

– We chose safety for employees rather than prestige, he added.

The store chain has been in mediation with Retail and Office. If it had not been an agreement, it would become strike for nine stores from Friday.

Polls

The chain has reaped criticism from several unions after it in March became known that it would terminate the collective wage agreement for several hundred employees nor increase employee bonus share. Both SV and Red came out and asked customers to boycott the retail chain.

Now it has been local polls in 23 company-owned stores that have had a collective agreement. A majority in twelve of the stores wanted to continue with the collective agreement, but eleven stores wanted a new deal. Now continue all the employees with the same collective agreement.

– We deeply regret that our employees in these stores do not even get to choose between the old collective agreement or a new wage agreement. We believe the announced strike and boycott the plans of Retail and Office would put jobs at risk, says Hovland.

He said chain therefore saw no other option than to accept the collective agreements in all stores, though it is contrary to the wishes of a large number of employees.

– We think this is regrettable, but must relate to the Office of Trade and in this case has force that prevents many employees to fulfill their wishes, says Hovland.

Can for bonus agreement in addition

the parties to the conflict agreed on Wednesday morning. Retail and Office (HK) is very pleased about the agreement.

– We are very pleased that we got the collective agreement in place where we demanded continuation. A strike is not desirable for either party, says First Deputy Bjorn MIETINEN in Retail and Office said.

About the statements of Expert boss that many employees now do not get to choose the severance agreement itself, respond MIETINEN that there is something in the way that businesses can have a bonus agreement atop collective agreement.

Retail and Office wanted to continue the collective agreements because they believe the contrary would lead to a disqualification for the employees.

– HK has had high demand from other employees in the electronics industry who want to organize themselves to get a collective agreement, officers and safe wages and working conditions. Expert can now be a pioneer in this area, says MIETINEN.

(NTB)