News

Oslo, Norway – January 18, 2013 - Today Telenor ASA signed an agreement with UNI Global Union, the voice of 20 million service sector workers around the world, in order to establish a platform and framework for dialogue between UNI and Telenor on fundamental labor rights. Telenor recognizes the importance unions can play in representing employee interests, and the role UNI can take in this regard, based on their knowledge and competence concerning labor relations.

“This agreement gives us the opportunity to actively cooperate with UNI, to address employee interests and dialogue across the Group,” said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO, Telenor Group. “In accordance with the governing principles of Telenor, all our employees have the freedom to organize and to take part in the development of their companies.”

Mutual cooperation, satisfying working conditions

The agreement between Telenor and UNI promotes trusting relationships between employees, their representatives and the companies within Telenor Group, through mutual cooperation and satisfying working conditions. It also establishes mutual understandings about the process of unionization among Telenor employees. The two parties will meet at least once a year, and have committed themselves to maintaining an ongoing dialogue.

“We look forward to building this relationship with Telenor. Together, I believe that we can continually improve the work environment. UNI looks forward to sharing our experience with employees and their representatives when it comes to unionization,” said Philip Jennings, UNI General Secretary. “We currently work with 47 multi-national companies to help raise standards and ensure respect for people in the workplace.”

Telenor and UNI respect the rights of all employees to exercise freedom of association, no matter where they work around the world. The management, employees and their representatives are jointly responsible for developing good industrial relations based on mutual respect.

Asian and European employees can seek guidance from UNI

“If our local employees in Asia, seek to form a union, it is Telenor’s policy to offer support. They will now have an opportunity to seek guidance and knowledge from UNI. We see this as empowerment of employees,” said Sigve Brekke, Head of Telenor in Asia.

“The agreement with UNI will serve to strengthen our open and constructive dialogue between employees, union representatives and management. With UNI on board, our employees and their unions will now have more resources at their disposal,” said Kjell Morten Johnsen, Head of Telenor in Europe.