Lawyers’ strike is called off – agreement with the government on agreement

– The Government and the Bar Association have agreed on several measures linked to the fee arrangement. The ongoing action that the Bar Association has had will end from tomorrow, Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) tells NTB in her office on Monday.

Since March 4, the Bar Association has been on strike because they believe that the public legal aid rate has been too low. Among other things, the strike has focused on the police’s use of undercover investigations, which must be approved in court.

After negotiations in recent weeks, the parties have now agreed.

To be investigated

The agreement means that the legal aid rate will be strengthened by a further NOK 50 in next year’s budget. In addition, a regulation must be drawn up stating that the minimum rate must be increased with the price increase in the following years.

A committee is also set up to review the entire system.

– We have had a good, trusting and effective dialogue over a few weeks now, which I experience as very solution-oriented. The Norwegian Bar Association appreciates that very much, says Siri Teigum, head of the Norwegian Bar Association.

She says that they particularly appreciate that price regulation is laid down in regulations.

– It creates predictability and security at the bottom, she says.

– Obviously challenging

The strike has been about the payment the lawyers receive. They also went on strike in 2022, and then the conflict flared up again this year.

In this year’s revised budget, the government has increased the fee by NOK 85 from last year, to NOK 1,265 per hour. There is an increase of 7.2 per cent, but the Norwegian Bar Association has considered that this is not enough.

The Salærrådet, which was established after the previous strike, has recommended NOK 1,464 per hour in 2024.

– Now that we have had action for the second time, it has obviously been challenging from the government’s side. At the same time, we recognize that it is also challenging from the lawyers’ side. That people feel that the payment is too low, says the Minister of Justice to NTB.

She hopes that they will now avoid the conflict flaring up again later.

– I think that we have laid a good foundation for future cooperation. And in the longer term, I am particularly optimistic about us getting a public investigation into the system. I think that we can advantageously look at this in a slightly broader perspective, says Mehl.