Battle of Menstad
Encyclopedia
The Menstad conflict was a Norwegian policing and political débâcle on 8 June 1931 at Norsk Hydro
's Menstad plant, near Skien
in the Norwegian province of Telemark.
Since March, Norway had been feeling significant industrial tension as the full effects of the Great Depression
began to be felt in Norway. It was in this atmosphere that the Norwegian Employers' Confederation
(NAF) announced a pay cut of 15 and 20 percent. When the Workers' National Trade Union
rejected this suggest and counter-proposed a reduction of working hours, the NAF responded with a programme of lockouts
. During the lockouts, two companies, Norsk Hydro
and Norske Skog Union
, chose to allow some contract workers to perform some work. This was perceived as strikebreaking and led to an escalation of the conflict level.
It was an angry mood in which Secretary of Labor (and later Prime Minister) Einar Gerhardsen
called strikebreaker
s "skabbdyr" (scabs) and director of Norsk Hydro Bjarne Eriksen
described the dispute as being one between Labour and the community. In the afternoon of 8 June 2,000 workers marched to the Norsk Hydro trans-shipment port and warehouse at Menstad, where 100 police officers guarded the contract workers.
The brief "battle", between police and strikers, saw law-and-order forces overwhelmed by demonstrators, who threw stones and iron piping before the protesters retreated. The government response (passed on by Minister of Defence, Vidkun Quisling
) was to send the army into the province with the stated aim of protecting nearby weapons depots. Although there was no further incident and law and order in the area was duly restored, the government response was heavily criticised by the Communist party, who had led the original demonstrations.
Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. Hydro is the fourth largest integrated aluminium company worldwide. It has operations in some 40 countries around the world and is active on all continents. The Norwegian state holds a 43.8 percent...
's Menstad plant, near Skien
Skien
' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
in the Norwegian province of Telemark.
Since March, Norway had been feeling significant industrial tension as the full effects of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
began to be felt in Norway. It was in this atmosphere that the Norwegian Employers' Confederation
Norwegian Employers' Confederation
The Norwegian Employers' Confederation was an employers' organisation in Norway.It existed between 1900 and 1989, and was founded as an answer to the foundation of the Workers' National Trade Union in 1899. Jens Gram and Hans William Schrøder have been credited with taking the initiative. In 1989...
(NAF) announced a pay cut of 15 and 20 percent. When the Workers' National Trade Union
Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have more than 850,000 members of a Norwegian population of 4.8 million...
rejected this suggest and counter-proposed a reduction of working hours, the NAF responded with a programme of lockouts
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
. During the lockouts, two companies, Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro
Norsk Hydro ASA is a Norwegian aluminium and renewable energy company, headquartered in Oslo. Hydro is the fourth largest integrated aluminium company worldwide. It has operations in some 40 countries around the world and is active on all continents. The Norwegian state holds a 43.8 percent...
and Norske Skog Union
Norske Skog Union
Norske Skog Union was a paper mill located in Skien in Norway. The mill was part of the Norske Skog Corporation and opened in 1873 with the name Union Co. The mill had two paper machines that produced 240,000 tonnes of newsprint and book paper. It was closed down in 2006.-History:In 1872 Ulrik...
, chose to allow some contract workers to perform some work. This was perceived as strikebreaking and led to an escalation of the conflict level.
It was an angry mood in which Secretary of Labor (and later Prime Minister) Einar Gerhardsen
Einar Gerhardsen
was a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party of Norway. He was Prime Minister for three periods, 1945–1951, 1955–1963 and 1963–1965. With 17 years in office, he is the longest serving Prime Minister in Norway since the introduction of parliamentarism...
called strikebreaker
Strikebreaker
A strikebreaker is a person who works despite an ongoing strike. Strikebreakers are usually individuals who are not employed by the company prior to the trade union dispute, but rather hired prior to or during the strike to keep the organisation running...
s "skabbdyr" (scabs) and director of Norsk Hydro Bjarne Eriksen
Bjarne Eriksen
Bjarne Eriksen is the name of:* Bjarne Eriksen , Norwegian businessperson* Bjarne Eriksen , Norwegian Olympic fencer* Bjarne Eriksen , Norwegian painter...
described the dispute as being one between Labour and the community. In the afternoon of 8 June 2,000 workers marched to the Norsk Hydro trans-shipment port and warehouse at Menstad, where 100 police officers guarded the contract workers.
The brief "battle", between police and strikers, saw law-and-order forces overwhelmed by demonstrators, who threw stones and iron piping before the protesters retreated. The government response (passed on by Minister of Defence, Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Quisling
Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling was a Norwegian politician. On 9 April 1940, with the German invasion of Norway in progress, he seized power in a Nazi-backed coup d'etat that garnered him international infamy. From 1942 to 1945 he served as Minister-President, working with the occupying...
) was to send the army into the province with the stated aim of protecting nearby weapons depots. Although there was no further incident and law and order in the area was duly restored, the government response was heavily criticised by the Communist party, who had led the original demonstrations.