Get paid for your experience

It's easy to get lost in the rules about seniority, but it pays to be in control. This not only ensures you get what you're entitled to, but also increases your chances of getting more. A good start is to know the difference between company seniority and salary seniority.

The former is about how long you have worked for the company. This is important if the company you work for is carrying out a downsizing. For bus drivers, it is also important when setting up the rotation. The second form of seniority, i.e. salary seniority, measures how long relevant experience you have. This is what determines how much you receive in basic salary. This should also include the experience you have as a professional driver (class C and D) outside the company. If you do not have your previous experience registered and approved, it can cost you thousands of kroner every year.

Most members of YTF work in companies with collective agreements where wages are, among other things, governed by the employee's level of experience. This is done in the form of salary supplements for the number of years of relevant professional experience, also known as seniority.

For bus drivers, failing to register relevant industry experience will, in the worst case scenario, result in a driver losing over NOK 21,000 in annual salary. For truck drivers, incorrect registration can reduce their salary by around NOK 8,000 a year.

According to the Bus Industry Agreement, both truck and bus experience shall count when calculating salary seniority. The agreement also states that "other objective criteria for crediting internships may be agreed upon between the company and the elected representatives."

A round of phone calls to union representatives around the country shows that companies' practices for approving other experience vary. Some companies take a hard line where only experience from buses or trucks is included, while others are open to most things.

Former chief shop steward at VY Buss and YTF -veteran, Petter Louis Pettersen, tells about a generous practice in what is Norway's largest bus company.

– You know that there is fierce competition to bring in adults. Then the employers are willing to go to great lengths to land the job. The most important thing is really the number of years you have been working.

Petter Louis Pettersen

– Are there any defined rules in the company?

– No, the practice varies from department to department, and also from manager to manager.

– Let's say I've worked in a kindergarten for 15 years and then decide to take the bus ticket. Do you think I'll get the experience from the kindergarten approved as counting salary seniority?

– Yes, I definitely think so. When I started in the industry, back in 1994, it was strict and I remember how I myself didn't get everything I wanted approved. Back then, there were a lot of people who wanted jobs, now it's the opposite, says Pettersen.

HR manager at VY Buss, Elise Hjørnegård Hannestad, tells Yrkestrafikk that the company's practices are in line with the Bus Industry Agreement in their assessment.

– What is important to us is to have a generous and fair practice, says Hannestad.

In addition, the company and the shop stewards may agree that "other objective criteria" can also be used for approval of previous practices.

While the bus industry agreement defines a so-called normal wage, i.e. the entire salary of the employee, the collective agreements in the freight industry only set a minimum wage. There are truck drivers who only receive the minimum wage, but many drivers also have a personal supplement. The use of personal supplements provides flexibility in wage setting, and the issue of seniority then becomes less important.

Shop stewards in the freight sector tell Yrkestrafikk that when hiring, an hourly wage and a possible bonus are normally first agreed upon. Once the wage has been agreed upon, the employee's seniority will determine which part of the wage is the minimum wage and which part is a personal allowance. The risk of registering a seniority that is too low will then be that the personal allowance appears to be higher than it actually is.

Dealer Kristine Martinsen in YTF says that the secretariat is regularly contacted by members with questions about seniority.

– What is important for you is that you ensure that your seniority is registered in line with the practice in the company you work for. If you are in doubt about what the current practice is, you can consult your local shop steward, says Martinsen.

She reminds us that it is not only previous work experience that can provide seniority in pay. According to the collective agreement, initial military service or completed civilian service should provide seniority in pay. The same applies to leave in connection with pregnancy, childbirth or adoption.

According to Martinsen, it is the employee themselves who is responsible for making the company aware of what relevant experience they have. If you feel that you are incorrectly placed, i.e. have too little seniority, you should raise this with your employer.

– If you do not receive an answer or something is still unclear, you should contact the union representatives. If you cannot resolve the matter and disagree with the company's interpretation, you can contact us centrally in YTF We will then assess the case and provide further assistance if necessary.

Kristine Martinsen

Salary scales

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