SAS EuroBonus - Norwegian Strike

Dear all,
Thought it might be useful to start a thread about how the strikes in Norway are going to affect us.

Sincerely,

SB

The strike by NO state employees, or is there a strike planned by DY? :confused:

The current situation is this:
1. The norwegian weather people are on strike. This causes flying difficulties in bad weather.
2.The security people at the airport are going on strike... around 80% of the personel.

Sincerely,

SB

I'm flying from CPH into BGO today... I wonder if I'll be affected?

From osl.no (in Norwegian): http://www.osl.no/osl/omoss/_presse/_nyhetsarkiv?INFORMASJON_OM_MULIG_VEKTERSTREIK_1._ JUNI&id=181-77489

If there is a strike from tomorrow the security control capacity (at OSL) will be reduced from 4000 pax/hours to 500/hour, so expect long lines. Passengers are advised to cancel their travel or find other means of transportation.

Also affected are BGO, TRD, TOS, SVG (www.facebook.com/stavangerlufthavn)

Arrivals should not be affected.

No strike yet. Anyone knows if SAS will wave rebooking restrictions just in case?

No strike yet. Anyone knows if SAS will wave rebooking restrictions just in case?

Rebooking free of charge if planned travel is June 1-3 (from OSL)
http://www.sas.no/info/

info to TAs:

01JUN12
Strike in Norway from 01JUN12 18:00 UTC (01JUN12 12:15 UTC)
A strike among security staff from 01JUN12 18:00 UTC will have consequences for security control at several airports in Norway.

Security staff from Securitas and G4S at OSL Gardermoen, BGO, SVG, TRD and TOS will be the first to go on strike.

SAS and Blue1 will operate according to schedule.

Passengers are recommended to meet up at airport in extra good time before departure. If possible, travel with hand luggage only due limitation of checked baggage handling.
Rebooking for passengers travelling out of OSL

Passengers holding SK/117-document booked on SK and KF operated flights out of OSL 01JUN12-04JUN12 may rebook within ticket validity. Rebooking must be made on SK or KF operated flights in the same booking class, or lowest available booking class in the same service class as originally booked.
Insert following FE line: FE INVOL DUE STRIKE IN NO
Rebooking of SK/117-document for Travel Agents for passengers travelling out of OSL

Travel agents are authorized to involuntary rebook SK/KF operated flights out of OSL, and involuntary reissue SK/117-document. Rebooking in the same booking class or in the lowest available booking class in the same service class as originally booked.
Insert following FE line: FE INVOL DUE STRIKE IN NO
Refund

Refund permitted for cancelled flights.

I have booked an SK award trip for my spouse going ARN-OSL-TRD on monday. I have no experience of OSL airport so I don't know the layout etc. Does anyone know if connections from Stockholm to a domestic flight will require her to go through security?

I have booked an SK award trip for my spouse going ARN-OSL-TRD on monday. I have no experience of OSL airport so I don't know the layout etc. Does anyone know if connections from Stockholm to a domestic flight will require her to go through security?

Yes, your spouse needs to go through customs and then reenter airside through security. The other way is fine though.

Yes, your spouse needs to go through customs and then reenter airside through security. The other way is fine though.

Thanks, that sounds bad though given that she has a 50 minute connection at OSL. Will have to consider cancelling I guess, or just go and hope for a seat on a later flight. :(

Thanks, that sounds bad though given that she has a 50 minute connection at OSL. Will have to consider cancelling I guess, or just go and hope for a seat on a later flight. :(

If you call SAS they will rebooke her free of charge to a flight with better connection, a direct flight or maybe through CPH instead.

http://www.sas.no/info/

If you call SAS they will rebooke her free of charge to a flight with better connection, a direct flight or maybe through CPH instead.

http://www.sas.no/info/

Thanks for the suggestion, there were no direct flights available as reward flights when we did the booking but now there were some seats so managed to make a rebooking through the website without any hassle or extra costs, very nice. :)

The websites are still showing updates on 4th June ! But so far I've not heard anything else about this strike. Only the teachers ' and the garbage collectors' strike seem to take precedence.

Does anyone know (roughly) if it will go on beyond Friday?
Am planning to leave Friday afternoon... when its quiet.

The security guards are still on strike and if no progress is made in the negociation today, they will call for 450 new employees to join the strike on Wednesday, among them 50 will be for Gardemoen. It should worsen the situation there even if today's it is not so bad as many have cancelled their flights.

It is no confirmed information on what will happen later and with which timeline. However, two more organizations may join the strike from the night of Friday to Saturday: the maintenance mechinals and the air controllers. This may significantly impact air traffic in Norway.

www.avinor.no is the best way to get updates (NO only).

As of today OSL, SVG, BGO, TRD, TOS, HAU, AES, KSU, ALF, BOO, SSJ and og FRO are affected. Tomorrow FDE and LKN will be added.

In practice: SSJ, KSU, ALF are closed for all departures (but might still have arrivals), FDE and LKN will be similarly closed for all departures from tomorrow. BOO and TOS are closed most of the day, the others have reduced capacity.

As a major escalation is planned on the other striking airports, I would guess that the government soon will halt the present strike, by sending the conflict to forced arbitration ("Tvungen lønnsnemnd")

Most recent update: http://www.avinor.no/avinor/presse/_nyhetsarkiv?OPPTRAPPINGEN_AV_VEKTERSTREIKEN_VIL_F ORVERRE_SITUASJONEN_DRAMATISK&id=181-145082

From Bergen Airport's webpage :
..The Security Service Staff at Bergen Airport is currently on strike !

Please note that the Security Checkpoint will only be open between 0500 and 2200 hours. Departing passengers must be through the Security Checkpoint no later than 2200 hours. Please be aware of the possibility of longer queuing time at the checkpoint. We advice passengers to arrive early at the airport.

http://www.avinor.no/en/airport/bergen

I hear that OSL is like a combat zone.. whereas places like BGO are better..

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Was very easy now. Less than 10 min to get through security. Could even get on an earlier flight!

So , is it over?

So , is it over?

No, it's not, it's really hit and miss for security queues at Gardemoen, Sometimes you have to wait more than one hour, sometimes less than 5 min. Many passengers have cancelled their travels and Norwegians / SAS are considering sending employees home due to the decrease in passengers. As per OSL website, best time to fly seems to be between 9-14 but this morning it was almost no queue at 7.30 am.

The strike is heating up, some station completely closed:

Strike in Norway (08JUN12 07:40 UTC)
A strike among security staff from 01JUN12 18:00 UTC will have consequences for security control at several airports in Norway.

Passengers are recommended to meet up at airport in extra good time before departure.

SAS and Blue1 will mostly operate according to schedule but changes will occur.
Planned traffic 08JUN12

ALF: Security closed and SK4409 cancelled.
SK4545 will operate from LKL. Bus transportation ALF-LKL with departure 14.30. Meet up at airport in ALF at 13.30.

BOO: Security closed.
Flights will operate OSL-BOO according to schedule.
Passengers with transfer at BOO airport - onward travel will not be affected.
Flights from BOO will depart with transfer passengers only.

BGO: SK246 Cancelled. Passenger rebooked to SK4131 or SK4010

KSU: Security closed and SK2301 will operate to MOL. Bus transportation MOL-KSU.
OSL-KSU: SK2303 will operate OSL-MOL. Bus transportation MOL-KSU.
KSU-OSL: SK2306 will operate MOL-OSL- Bus transportation MOL-KSU with departure 12.30, meet up latest 12.15.

TOS: Security will close at 19:00
Traffic information for 07JUN12
KSU: Security closed

KSU: SK 2301, SK2302, SK2304 cancelled
SK2303 will operate according to schedule OSL-KSU. SK2306 will return without passengers KSU-OSL. Passengers booked on SK2306 may be rebooked to travel MOL-OSL on SK4525 . Bus transportation from KSU airport to MOL at 13:30 LT.
SK2305/SK2308 will operate to/from MOL. Bustransportation from KSU airport will be at 17:00 LT.


ALF: Security closed, SK4409 cancelled
ALF: SK4546/SK4434 OSL-ALF will depart according to scedule. SK4545 ALF-OSL will depart from LKL at 19:00 LT.
Bus transportation for passengers from ALF airport at 14:30 LT.

Involuntary Rebooking

Passengers holding SK/117-document booked on SK, KF and WF operated flights out from destinations in Norway 01JUN12-09JUN12, (WF both within and out of Norway valid from 04JUN12 11:00 UTC) may involuntary rebook within ticket validity. Rebooking must be made on SK, KF and WF operated flights in the same booking class, or lowest available booking class in the same service class as originally booked.
Insert following FE line: FE INVOL DUE STRIKE IN NO
Rebooking of SK/117-document for Travel Agents for passengers travelling out from destinations in Norway
Passengers whose flight departs while waiting in security line may Involuntary rebook to a later flight.

Travel agents are authorized to involuntary rebook SK/KF/WF operated flights out from destinations in Norway (WF both within and out of Norway valid from 04JUN12 1100UTC), and involuntary reissue SK/117-document. Rebooking in the same booking class or in the lowest available booking class in the same service class as originally booked.
Insert following FE line: FE INVOL DUE STRIKE IN NO
Refund

Refund permitted for cancelled flights..

As the weather is expected to be somewhat better, what better time for a strike than during the summer. ;)

In some parts of the world, strikes are used to make time for longer weekends/longer holidays when the weather is expected to be more amenable than usual. :eek:

The strike is over.... for now ;)

As the weather is expected to be somewhat better, what better time for a strike than during the summer. ;)

In some parts of the world, strikes are used to make time for longer weekends/longer holidays when the weather is expected to be more amenable than usual. :eek:
Actually: the weather has nothing to do with the strikes. It's just that the union contracts usually run for two years, and are renewed in May (with some negotiation going on in the year between). Thus May/ June is always strike season in Norway. Like hurricanes in Florid, they do not always hit, but wise travellers keep the possibility in mind!

Well: they ended while I was still on my diverted flight KSU-MOL. But other unions are threatening airline strikes over the weekend.

Actually: the weather has nothing to do with the strikes. It's just that the union contracts usually run for two years, and are renewed in May (with some negotiation going on in the year between). Thus May/ June is always strike season in Norway. Like hurricanes in Florid, they do not always hit, but wise travellers keep the possibility in mind!

Well: they ended while I was still on my diverted flight KSU-MOL. But other unions are threatening airline strikes over the weekend.

Strikes and other labor slowdowns tend to have a lot to do with better weather and holiday periods. Norway is no exception. Even when contracts are up for negotiations, strikes and labor slowdowns tend to be more likely around better weather and holiday periods than on bad weather days. Norway is no exception.

Strikes and other labor slowdowns tend to have a lot to do with better weather and holiday periods. Norway is no exception. Even when contracts are up for negotiations, strikes and labor slowdowns tend to be more likely around better weather and holiday periods than on bad weather days. Norway is no exception.
This is a coincidence. I do not know the historical reason for having the main union negotiation period in May in Norway, but the fact is that it is more or less illegal to have major strikes in Norway at any time of the year except for May/ June. Norway is a thoroughly unionized country, and the contracts are always negotiated at the same time of the year, and always in the same order: private before public, export industry before service industries, State before municipalities. Except for very short political demonstration strikes , the only time when workers in Norway are allowed to strike is in spring/ early summer. The fact that striking workers still come to their working place, standing guard outside to stop strikebreakers (blackleggers) means that workers don't have an incentive to strike to get an extra holiday.

The two defining industrial conflicts in Norwegian history was the strike of female matchworkers in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1889 which lasted from October to December and the conflict at Menstad ("Menstadslaget", the battle of Menstad) in June 1931. But the conflict at Menstad was not a strike but a lock-out.

This is a coincidence. I do not know the historical reason for having the main union negotiation period in May in Norway, but the fact is that it is more or less illegal to have major strikes in Norway at any time of the year except for May/ June. Norway is a thoroughly unionized country, and the contracts are always negotiated at the same time of the year, and always in the same order: private before public, export industry before service industries, State before municipalities. Except for very short political demonstration strikes , the only time when workers in Norway are allowed to strike is in spring/ early summer. The fact that striking workers still come to their working place, standing guard outside to stop strikebreakers (blackleggers) means that workers don't have an incentive to strike to get an extra holiday.

The two defining industrial conflicts in Norwegian history was the strike of female matchworkers in Kristiania (Oslo) in 1889 which lasted from October to December and the conflict at Menstad ("Menstadslaget", the battle of Menstad) in June 1931. But the conflict at Menstad was not a strike but a lock-out.

The fact is that there is a long-standing correlation into recent years even in OECD markets whereby when good weather and holiday dates are expected a strike is more likely to be realized. Norway is no exception. Most striking workers in Norway don't show up protesting at their place of employment on each and every day of a strike, certainly not to to stop scabs/line-crossers and certainly not for all the hours that would be the regular workday. If the weather is unusually bad during labor contract dispute negotiations and a holiday or weekend is not around, workers in Norway too are less likely to be on strike/labor-slowdowns. If Norwegian workers were less likely to call in "sick" on Monday and/or Friday than other OECD market workers, now that would be news.

This is not a criticism of Norway -- Norway is in good company -- so no need for anyone to get so defensive; it is merely an outcome where human nature shows itself, much like with the movements of the stock market here vis-a-vis weather and holidays.

The fact is that there is a long-standing correlation into recent years even in OECD markets whereby when good weather and holiday dates are expected a strike is more likely to be realized. Norway is no exception. Most striking workers in Norway don't show up protesting at their place of employment on each and every day of a strike, certainly not to to stop scabs/line-crossers and certainly not for all the hours that would be the regular workday. If the weather is unusually bad during labor contract dispute negotiations and a holiday or weekend is not around, workers in Norway too are less likely to be on strike/labor-slowdowns. If Norwegian workers were less likely to call in "sick" on Monday and/or Friday than other OECD market workers, now that would be news.

This is not a criticism of Norway -- Norway is in good company -- so no need for anyone to get so defensive; it is merely an outcome where human nature shows itself, much like with the movements of the stock market here vis-a-vis weather and holidays.
You miss the point. You have a theory about strikes that might or might not be correct in general, which you attempt to particularize onto Norway, missing the point that May/ June basically is the only time of the year that Norwegian workers are allowed to strike.

Nearly all strikes in Norway are called by nationwide trade unions. And they are called when union contracts are up for renewal, and that is always in May/ June.

You miss the point. You have a theory about strikes that might or might not be correct in general, which you attempt to particularize onto Norway, missing the point that May/ June basically is the only time of the year that Norwegian workers are allowed to strike.

Nearly all strikes in Norway are called by nationwide trade unions. And they are called when union contracts are up for renewal, and that is always in May/ June.

.... and the better the weather, the closer the weekend or holiday in that period of time, the more likely a labor problem actually gets manifested so as to hit customers/businesses on a given day. Norway is not an exception. That is the point.

.... and the better the weather, the closer the weekend or holiday in that period of time, the more likely a labor problem actually gets manifested so as to hit customers/businesses on a given day. Norway is not an exception. That is the point.
You are trying to fit a square plug into a round hole with your theory, as strikes in Norway are always at this time of year and no other time. If the regular strikes in Norway actually are used to prove this theory, it is a major flaw with the underlying research as large strikes in Norway can ONLY happen in May/June and at no other time of the year.

As for weather and holidays your theory certainly did not work this year. The strike happened after the many holidays of May, and the weather in May and June has been generally worse than average this year

You are trying to fit a square plug into a round hole with your theory, as strikes in Norway are always at this time of year and no other time. If the regular strikes in Norway actually are used to prove this theory, it is a major flaw with the underlying research as large strikes in Norway can ONLY happen in May/June and at no other time of the year.

As for weather and holidays your theory certainly did not work this year. The strike happened after the many holidays of May, and the weather in May and June has been generally worse than average this year

I am not sure if you have realized that the way statistical models work does not require elimination of variance for the related theory to be relevant and validated.

I am not trying to fit, nor have I fit, a square plug into a round hole as much as you are trying to imagine it to be so. Something to do with last year? Well, some may never give it a rest.

Even within this time of the year, strikes in Norway too have tended to be realized more around dates that are holidays, a weekend and/or where the weather was better. When the weather is bad or expected to be bad, strikes are less frequent, less extensive and/or of shorter duration; and when the weather is good, expected to be better or better than expected, strikes tend to be more frequent, more extensive or of longer duration, more so around holidays and weekends. [Who wants to generally take domestic time out more in the relatively colder, wetter weather even within a given month of the year?] Same sort of thing goes for weekends and holidays being a correlative factor for more intense labor disruptions. Not even Norway's labor force is an exception. Norway is just another normal country in this regard too. It shouldn't bother anybody that people prefer to have time off when they prefer to have time off, even if it is not as ideal as they may wish it to be and it involves labor contract disputes.

I think our respective positions are clear on this: you argue from a statistical point of view, I argue from political realities, knowing how the Norwegian three-party (employers, unions, government) labour negotiation system is built up and works. When workers legally can strike at one and only one time of the year, that's when they will strike, independently of any external factors.

Your statistical theory might be correct, and if it were, I would certainly love to see the negotiations moved to November, missing out of the recurring strikes every May.

But I do not think we will agree on this topic, so I suggest that we leave it there.

I think our respective positions are clear on this: you argue from a statistical point of view, I argue from political realities, knowing how the Norwegian three-party (employers, unions, government) labour negotiation system is built up and works. When workers legally can strike at one and only one time of the year, that's when they will strike, independently of any external factors.

Your statistical theory might be correct, and if it were, I would certainly love to see the negotiations moved to November, missing out of the recurring strikes every May.

But I do not think we will agree on this topic, so I suggest that we leave it there.

November or February would be good, but I'd even settle for elimination of 75-80% of the May red days/holidays.

The political reality is that there have also been disruptive labor actions, legal or not, in January in Norway too. Just usually not as intensive and extensive and regular as in May and June.

Another more serious strikes seems to be happening in the next 24 hours. I was wondering what people knew how SAS and other airlines are planning to do to handle this? What are the predictions?

Sincerely,

SB

Another more serious strikes seems to be happening in the next 24 hours. I was wondering what people knew how SAS and other airlines are planning to do to handle this? What are the predictions?

Sincerely,

SB
An agreement was reached this morning so no strike amongst the ATCs.

An agreement was reached this morning so no strike amongst the ATCs.

That's reassuring, coming to see your country for 2 weeks starting Sunday, an ATC strike is never pretty