The two-tier employment system at NRK - Pia Beathe Pedersen is not alone

The whole Pia Beathe Pedersen brouhaha has focused attention on the use of temporary workers at NRK in Norway. This article, in Norwegian and entitled "M for midlertidig," starkly illustrates this fact by contrasting the treatment of temporary and permanent employees at NRK. Here's a quote from the article:

I NRKs lokaler sitter Simonsen og diskuterer vikarsituasjonen med Grete Ingebjørg Berge og Anne Cathrine Syversen. Berge er vikar mens Syversen ble fast ansatt etter åtte år som vikar. De gjør stort sett samme jobben og det er vanskelig for en utenforstående å skille dem. Mens Syversen har et adgangskort med NRK-logo og et pent bilde på, har Berge et adgangskort med en stor M på. M for midlertidig.

Here's how Google Translate rendered the paragraph:

In NRK premises located Simonsen and discuss the situation with temporary Grete Ingeborg Berge and Anne Cathrine Syversen. Berge is filling in while Syversen was a permanent employee after eight years as a substitute. They do pretty much the same job and it is difficult for an outsider to tell them apart. While Syversen a pass with NRK logo and a nice image, Berge has an access card with a big M on. M temporarily.

Other differences are noted, but the article emphasizes this vivid illustration of a two-tier system in NRK. But to get NRK's side of the story, the article quotes Heidi Pleym, Editorial Director at NRK.

– Nå er det mye negativt fokus på det å være vikar. Det å komme inn som vikar er også en god rekrutteringsarena for å få vist seg fram, sier redaksjonssjef Pleym.

– Men hvorfor har NRK egne kort til midlertidige ansatte som stempler dem som ikke-ansatte. Er ikke det ekskluderende?

– Jeg har aldri tenkt på det og sett på det slik, svarer Pleym.

Or, courtesy Google:

- Now there is much negative focus on being a substitute. Coming in as a substitute is also a good recruitment arena to show themselves, "says editorial director Pleym.

– But why has NRK own cards for temporary employees that stamps them as non-employees. Is not it exclusive?

– I never thought about it and seen it like this, answers Pleym.