The Norwegian giant strike has begun: "Serious situation"

Jonas Gahr Støre. Heiko Junge / NTB  

The Norwegian giant strike has begun: "Serious situation"  

The general strike in Norway, involving around 25,000 workers, began at 06:00 on Monday after the union rejected the employers' last wage offer. 

- It is a serious situation, says Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to NRK after the strike began.  

Furthermore, the social democratic politician states that strikes are completely legal and legitimate - and that this is what the Norwegian "rules of the game" look like. The government must also respect this, he says.  

Economist Jan Ludvig Andreassen has suggested that the government act on its side by lowering the tax on electricity and food, which could lead to a shorter strike. But no new measures are relevant at the moment, says Gahr Støre. Illustration picture/Queue at the Ringnes sale. TT. 

Norwegian general strike 

Norwegian beer hunt when general strike began: "The cask beer is out" 

On Monday, the queues were long at stores in Norway where customers and restaurants want to buy beer. This is because the general strike that began on Monday has stopped several breweries' production.

Storbryggeriet Ringnes has had a sell-out, and there the draft beer has run out, says communications manager Nicolay Bruusgaard according to NRK.  

- There has been crazy pressure today.  

On Monday morning, around 25,000 members of the unions LO and YS went on strike, after the weekend's wage negotiations with the companies' interest organization NHO broke down.