National case studies: the case of Norway

Norway combines substantial natural resources, a robust welfare state, and well-established social partnership institutions. These institutions include comparatively high union and employer organization rates, extensive collective bargaining coverage, and a highly organized collective bargaining model. Current tensions stem from key sectoral issues. The oil and gas sector generates substantial public revenue, yet it complicates Norway’s ambitions for a green transition. Automotive supplier firms face international competition while policymakers promote a nascent domestic battery industry. Care services are the country’s largest employer, yet they remain undervalued and understaffed. Platformization in on-demand transportation reveals regulatory and representation gaps. Managing these transitions through coordinated social dialogue, active industrial policy, and targeted labor measures is key to securing fair, green, and inclusive outcomes

Historically, Norwegian automotive production has been small compared to that of larger European car manufacturing nations. This reflects Norway’s relatively limited domestic market and its focus on the maritime, energy, and industrial sectors. Although Norway lacks the large-scale car manufacturing of Germany or France, it has developed expertise in niche areas, particularly electric vehicle (EV) production and components, as well as specialized vehicles

Energy production in Norway is dominated by hydropower for domestic electricity and oil and gas for exports. State ownership remains central. Statkraft dominates renewable production, and Equinor (partly state-owned) leads the oil and gas industry. This creates a paradox: Norway is a leader in renewable electricity and a global climate actor yet remains dependent on petroleum revenues (Korsnes et al., 2023; Sandal, 2023). Historically, the sector has had different union dynamics than other industries. Early offshore work attracted maritime workers, and wages were high. Initially, company-based unions proliferated before consolidating into unions like SAFE, which affiliated with YS. There are significant transition risks: the 2014 oil price shock resulted in substantial job losses in oil-related industries, and there is ongoing debate about electrification, offshore wind expansion, and how to reconcile emissions targets with continued petroleum activity

Care and health services are now Norway’s largest employer sector, with over 400,000 workers, and have experienced the fastest employment growth in recent decades. The workforce is predominantly female and includes a significant proportion of immigrants, with a wide range of occupational categories, from university-educated nurses to healthcare workers and unqualified care staff. Major pressures include staffing shortages, retention problems among new nurses, rural recruitment gaps, and demand from an aging population. Digital and organizational innovations have been proposed, but they will require sustained policy and workforce investment.

The taxi market exemplifies the tensions between regulation, platform entrants, and labor protections. Historically, the sector was tightly regulated with limited licenses and mandatory taxi centers. It faced disruption when Uber entered the market in 2014 and when market rules were later deregulated. This led to platform competition, disputes over working conditions, low union density in the sector, and legal and policy pushback, which culminated in new regulations that reintroduced taximeters and other controls.

Norway’s labor market rests on robust social partnership institutions, a redistributive welfare state, and resource wealth. Together, these factors have shaped comparatively inclusive labor outcomes. The green transition creates opportunities in areas such as batteries, offshore wind, and electrification, but it also poses risks, including job losses, stranded assets, and regional impacts.