Norway Air Traffic Controller Strike Enters Emergency Mediation After 150+ Flights Cancelled

A Norwegian air traffic controller strike since August 21 has cancelled over 150 flights and closed Oslo Gardermoen for five hours, pushing NFF and Spekter into emergency mediation.

Original report
www.thelocal.no

Industry impact

A small controller walkout of just 12 staff shows how limited labor actions can rapidly cascade into nationwide airspace disruption across Norway's aviation network.

[Norwegian](/entities/b5d69c8d1a7b5c08b3b79ee128ecb4ba) air traffic controllers have been on strike since Friday, August 21st, causing widespread flight disruptions across the country. The strike, launched by the Norwegian Air Traffic Controllers Association (NFF), led to Oslo Airport (Gardermoen) closing for five hours on Sunday morning and more than 150 flights being cancelled nationwide, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. Despite only 12 air traffic controllers initially walking out, the impact on national airspace has been severe, with at least seven morning flights from Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim, and Florø cancelled on Monday, though airport operator Avinor said the day was expected to be more manageable.

Emergency mediation talks between the NFF and employer organisation Spekter began Monday morning. NFF leader Robert Gjønnes cited working conditions and break schedules as a central issue, alleging that controllers work shifts of up to 16 hours without sufficient rest. Spekter chief Anne-Kari Bratten rejected any concessions on rest periods ahead of the talks, arguing the issue falls outside the scope of the current wage dispute and has previously been ruled against in court. Gjønnes told Aftenposten that a completely innocent third party is affected and that the union is sorry for that, adding that they hope for good and constructive dialogue to find sustainable solutions.

If Monday's talks fail to produce an agreement, the NFF has warned the strike could escalate further on Wednesday. The Ministry of Labour said on Sunday evening that compulsory wage arbitration is not being considered at this stage, with State Secretary Line Eldring telling E24 that such a measure is a last resort applying only when a labour dispute endangers life, health, safety, or leads to other serious societal consequences.