Norway seafood trade body urges changes to working hours regulation

Norwegian seafood trade association Sjømatbedriftene is calling on the Norwegian government to grant an exemption to the seafood industry from working hours regulation during its peak season.

According to Sjømatbedriftene CEO Robert H. Eriksson, Norway's Working Environment Act needs to be adapted to account for seasonal variations in the seafood industry.

The need for extra labour is greatest, Eriksson argues, during the winter fishing season from January to April.

"The Working Environment Act is not adapted to the seasonal challenges facing the seafood industry, and this leads to many companies being forced to break the law," Eriksson claimed in a press release.

“When the catch arrives at the dock, there is no choice but to handle the fish immediately. This is food production, and to do this safely, we need to have flexible working hours,” he added.

Sjømatbedriftene says it is proposing "targeted exceptions" to the working hours arrangements during the peak season, in order to increase flexibility for companies as well as "provide security and predictability for the employees".

Eriksson said that any changes should be made in close cooperation between employers and employees' elected representatives. He added that the seafood industry must have framework conditions in place to protect workers from "disproportionate burdens", and provide them with financial compensation in line with the collective bargaining agreements in the industry.

"By putting in place working time regulations that meet the needs of the seafood industry, we can contribute to increased processing of Norwegian seafood here at home. The alternative would be for the raw material to be shipped out of the country, which would weaken the Norwegian seafood industry," Eriksson argued.

"It is not uncommon for certain industries to receive exemptions from working time arrangements during peak season. An example of this is auditors during the annual accounts. We therefore ask the Minister of Labour and Inclusion, Tonje Brenna, to make the necessary changes to the regulations so that the seafood industry receives the same exemptions," he concluded.