Hydro employees at Karmøy and Årdal call a strike from April 17; production cut looms

Hydro employees organised in Industri Energi and FLT at its Karmøy and Årdal plants will reportedly go on strike from Monday, April 17, given a breach in mediation between The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO), the Confederation of the Vocational Unions (YS) and the Norwegian Labor Union (LO).

The strike is expected to impact the operations at both Karmøy and Årdal plants; hence, Hydro plans to regulate it by a separate agreement determining how the reduction process will take place responsibly and how both parties will contribute.

Per the report, the employees will go on strike gradually as reducing aluminium production will require considerable time and effort from the plant operators. The process is estimated to take several months.

In addition to production, the strike will also impact deliveries as shipping activities will be limited from Hydro Karmøy and Hydro Årdal during the tenure of the strike.

It has been decided that Hydro will sell the rescued power from the reduced production at Karmøy and Årdal in the power market.

Employees in the accounting department at Hydro’s Sunndalsøra plant, organised in the Handel og Kontor (HK union), have also gone on strike.