The construction, transport and hotel sectors in Norway will be affected by strike action which starts today, after the failure of negotiations on the conclusion new collective agreement between the country’s two main unions and employers’ representatives, trade union organizations announced last night.

The largest Norwegian trade union confederation, LO, announced that 22,947 of its members go on strike. The same will be done by 1,441 members of a small trade union organization, YS.

The strike, relatively widespread in the country of 5.5 million people, affects the construction, transport, manufacturing and hotel sectors, above all in the capital, Oslo.

Negotiations between the two trade unions and the employers’ association NHO have been ongoing since Friday. Yesterday Sunday, the delegations of LO and YS announced that they reject the proposal submitted by a mediator.

The head of LO Peggy Folswick called it “regrettable” that the workers “are forced to strike”, stressing that “we did not take this decision lightly” and adding that the mobilization starts today.

LO aims to increase the purchasing power of its members by 5%, according to reports in Norwegian media.