The Finance Sector Union of Norway threatens to increase the strike that took out 6,000 employees in the insurance business on Thursday and The Norwegian Employers' Association for the Financial Sector (FA) vows to retaliate with a lockout.
The current stage of the conflict means that there are delays in insurance claims processing, but the next step could be the crippling of banking services across the country.
If a solution is not negotiated by June 12 the FSUN will expand the strike to include 1,573 members in 76 savings banks, the so-called Terra banks. The FA has responded by threatening a lockout of other FSUN members, which would mean a strike or lockout in effect at nearly all business and savings banks with head offices, subsidiaries or branches in Norway.
The lack of a solution by June 12 will also mean that the Handel og Kontor (Business and Trade) and Norwegian Post and Communications unions will join the strike in a sympathy action.
The main issues in the conflict are pensions and insurance.
"One could say it is a paradox that we in the insurance business have not managed to reach agreement on our own insurance. But our demand is that we want influence over these policies," FSUN leader Jorunn Berland said, who sees conflict ahead.
"Normally we have a working method that is solution oriented, but now the will to strike is great," Berland said.
