Solidarność on a Waste Safari and Tram Adventure in Oslo

Waste Safari at Haraldrud

The guests visited the Haraldrud recycling station, where they were met by Anne Sandborg, the chief union representative at Fagforbundet for the Oslo Waste and Recycling Agency. She took the delegation on what she called a waste safari at the facility before they met Hans Petter Karlsen, the agency's director.

"I was impressed by how both the union representative and management think long-term and develop strategies that benefit employees, management, and users of the municipal waste services," says Agnieszka Rybczyńska, project manager for the collaboration project with Fagforbundet. She adds that this includes everything from investing in training and further education for employees to a shared goal of keeping the services in municipal control.

"As a union, we believe that municipal control is best for the employees, but seeing how management is also clear that it facilitates innovation and high-quality services was motivating."

Tram Simulator at Grefsen

The delegation also visited Sporveien's tram depot at Grefsen. The guests got to try being tram drivers in the tram simulator and see how the trams are maintained. Jan Egil Meling, CEO of Sporveien Trikken, and Ola Floberg, leader of the Oslo Sporveiers Arbeiderforening, spoke about what they call the Sporveien model.

The model describes how industrial democracy at Sporveien is built on a high degree of trust and cooperation between management and employees, resulting in environmentally friendly, efficient, and affordable public transport of high quality.

Throughout their stay, the delegation used public transport; subway, tram, and boat to Langøyene. All the guests agreed that they got a lot for the price of a day pass.

"Everything is expensive, but the tram ticket is affordable," one delegate expressed.

This text was written in Norwegian by Nina Monsen, from Fagforbundet. The original text can be read here.

About the Social Dialogue and Decent Work Programme

This project is part of the Social Dialogue and Decent Work Programme. The Social Dialogue and Decent Work Programme for period 2014-2021 under the Norway Grants has funded 92 projects as a result of four rounds of calls in 12 Beneficiary States. The objective of the Programme is strengthened tripartite cooperation between employer organisations, trade unions and public authorities and the promotion of decent work.