When the owners of Salhus Tricotagefabrik and Salhus Væverier refused to negotiate a 20-øre wage increase, it sparked a bitter conflict.
Emil and Jurg Clausen were brothers who each managed a textile factory in the 1910s. Their father was one of the textile pioneers in the village.
At that time, many sought work in the industry. Steady jobs provided a stable income, housing, sick pay, and schooling for children. Welfare benefits that we now receive through the state were often provided by the employer back then.
These arrangements were particularly common in small industrial communities like Salhus. In return, the employer expected a loyal and stable workforce.
A famous quote from Director Emil Clausen is: "We did not come into this world for a banquet." In other words: we are not on Earth to be on vacation, but to work.
Emil was also concerned that employees should engage in what he considered "healthy" leisure activities: sports, choirs, brass bands, and church attendance. Like many factory directors of the era, he believed that wholesome free-time activities created loyal workers.
Working in the factories was demanding. Conditions were often hazardous to health, and wages were low. This led many to organize into trade unions. In the late 1800s, textile workers in Oslo began to organize, demanding better pay and improved working conditions.
In 1919, the Salhus Trade Union was established. Their primary goal was a wage increase, aiming for the national tariff of 1.70 NOK per hour.
After failed attempts to initiate negotiations, the workers went on strike on March 1, 1920.
New negotiations were scheduled after a couple of weeks, but once again, the directors failed to show up. The situation was deadlocked, with no room for compromise or dialogue from the directors’ side.
Instead, union members were threatened with dismissal, and new, non-unionized workers were hired to replace them.
The case made headlines, with newspapers referring to the Clausen brothers as wealthy aristocrats who knew how to exploit their power.
The directors' attempts to create division succeeded. This led to internal conflicts within the union, resignations, and eventually, the union's board was fired. The trade union was shut down.
It is assumed that the factory management feared that if the union won, the management would appear weak.
Local stories tell that after the conflict, Emil Clausen demanded that every organized worker shake his hand and personally promise to maintain "peace in the workplace."
Today, all Norwegian workers have the right to organize, but what is the reality for those who make our clothes today?
Bangladesh accounts for 8% of the world's textile production. Due to low production costs, many global brands choose to manufacture there.
However, for a textile worker in Bangladesh, there are no guarantees for regulations ensuring decent working conditions, regulated working hours, holidays, or the right to organize.