11 flights cancelled on Tuesday due to aircraft technician strike 

On Tuesday morning, a total of 11 flights were cancelled as a result of an aircraft technician strike, which commenced last weekend, public broadcaster NRK reports. 

Norwegian Air Shuttle said that it had cancelled five departing flights and their return trips due to staff shortages due to the strike. 

Widerøe said its flight WF972 had also been cancelled. However, SAS said it has not had to cancel any departures on Tuesday due to the strike. 

PM in crisis meeting over Kristiansund dissolution 

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre met with colleagues from the Labour Party in Kristiansund yesterday to discuss the breakup of the municipality. 

The government decided to break up the municipality, overriding local authorities’ decision to keep it as is. 

After meeting with local members of the Labour Party, the PM came to the compromise of having the state administrator look into the dissolution. 

“The state administrator will make a study of what it means to dissolve the large municipality of Kristiansand. The government has not taken a position on the dissolution of this municipality,” Støre told newswire NTB after the meeting. 

Ground staff strike averted

Following mediation talks on Monday night, ground staff at Norwegian airports will not go on strike as NHO Luftfart, and Fellesforbundet came to an agreement. 

“We are pleased to have arrived in port after a demanding mediation, with good assistance from the mediator. Now we have come to a solution that gives our members a pay rise that we hope they can give their support to,” negotiator Dag-Einar Sivertsen said on Fellesforbundet’s website.

All staff will receive a wage rise of four kroner per hour, in addition to sharp increases in the minimum wage rates. 

Fuel prices continue to rise 

Over the past year, the price of diesel has increased 49 percent, while petrol has gone up 43 percent, according to figures from Statistics Norway. 

Over the past month, the price has risen 8.1 percent for petrol and 6.1 percent for diesel. Last month the average diesel price was 22.39 kroner per litre and 22.96 kroner for a litre of petrol. 

“It is a frightening increase, and many households are struggling with these record prices. Throughout the winter and spring, we have called for measures, but have been met with silence,” Thor Eigil Braadland from the Norwegian Automobile Association said.