Norwegian aluminium producer Norsk Hydro ASA said yesterday that the strike at Hydro Karmøy and Hydro Årdal that began on Monday has come to an end.
Per the firm, The Norwegian Labor Union (LO) and The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO) reached an agreement earlier in the day. No details regarding the agreement were released at the time of this writing.
The workforce at Industri Energi and FLT at Hydro Karmøy and Hydro Årdal went on strike Monday morning after negotiations faltered last week. Plans for the strike included an orderly closure of the potlines in order to avoid damage to smelting equipment. Hydro estimated that such a ramp down would take several months to implement.
Unionized employees at the accounting department at Sunndalsøra also went on strike Monday in a separate labor action. Hydro did not specify whether that strike was also resolved today.
Hydro says that normal operations at both Hydro Karmøy and Hydro Årdal will resume, along with product shipment. The company expected that there would be minimal cost to the company and interruption to clients as a result of the three-day work stoppage.
Norsk Hydro, which was founded in 1905, financed by the Swedish Wallenberg family and French banks, began its life named Norsk hydro-elektrisk Kvælstofaktieselskab (literally, “Norwegian hydro-electric nitrogen limited”) by Sam Eyde. The Norwegian government owns approximately 40% of the company at the present time. Norsk Hydro is one of the largest aluminium companies in the world, with plants in Rjukan, Raufoss, Vennesla, Karmøy, Høyanger, Årdal, Sunndalsøra, and Holmestrand. Norsk also has several plants abroad.
