Airport strike in Norway ends with raises

Oslo, Norway -- An airline workers strike that grounded many of Norway's domestic flights for six days ended with increased wages, union representatives said Wednesday.

While only 400 workers walked off their jobs last Friday, their duties included emergency service work, which forced the civil transport authority Avinor to shut down services for lack of sufficient rescue personnel in the event of an accident, Aftenposten reported.

The strike put pressure on airlines, which said it cost them millions, while thousands of passengers were stranded.

L O Stat union officials said most of the employees will receive raises of about $3,800 a year and higher compensation for working irregular hours.

The negotiations ended early Wednesday but airlines warned passengers to expect more flight delays while services return to normal.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.