Socialist Electoral Association's 33 points

1. Defend the victory from the referendum

Through the trade agreement, Norway's relationship with the EC has been clarified for the time being. But strong forces in our society will not settle for the result of the referendum on the EC. The capital interests work purposefully for membership. The Conservative Party and the New People's Party have stated in their program that they will work for Norwegian EC membership. The Labor Party claims that the question of membership is not relevant, but leading politicians in the party work actively and purposefully within the European movement together with right-wing politicians to change our form of affiliation to an EC membership.

No to centralization. Preserve local communities.

The Socialist Election Association will through all its activities in the coming years counteract this threat to Norwegian self-government, and combat an EC development in Norway.

2. Norwegian companies in Norwegian ownership!

Increasingly, Norwegian companies are being taken over by foreign capital interests. Almost half of the shares in industry and mining are in foreign hands. Decisions that affect thousands of Norwegian workers are made by foreign capital. Socialist Election Association demands a work plan for the takeover of foreign-owned companies, and will use the concession laws and other instruments that can ensure self-government.

3. Expand the fishing limit now!

The struggle to preserve self-government and the settlement pattern in our country applies not least to the resources in the sea. The demand for an extension of our fishing limit is increasingly being supported. The Socialist Electoral Association is moving against a policy based on trawlers at the expense of coastal fishing, and will ensure the fishing population control over our fishing resources, production and marketing of fish products.

4. Oil and gas to Norway!

A unanimous Storting was in favor of the principle that the oil and gas in the North Sea should be brought ashore in Norway, but at the first opportunity the Norwegian Labor Party and the bourgeois unitedly opposed this principle. Only through landing in Norway can we secure ourselves against foreign domination and prevent the rapid extraction of our oil resources that big capital is in favor of. Exploration, extraction and processing must be carried out under state auspices. The Socialist Electoral Association will fight oil speculation. The value of our natural resources must benefit society as a whole.

5. Break with the block policy!

A prerequisite for being able to pursue an independent foreign policy is that Norway breaks with NATO. At the all-European security conference, Norway must work actively for the dissolution of military blocs and de-escalation. The use of nuclear weapons must be excluded from the plans for the Norwegian defense immediately. Through the NATO alliance, our country participates today in the fight against the interests of the oppressed people, and as long as Norway is a member of NATO, support for Portugal's colonial wars and the dictatorships in Greece and Turkey must be actively fought.

The electoral association demands that all VAT on food be removed.

6. Socialize the banks and the credit union!

The banks and credit unions are a stronghold for the power of capital. Decisions are made there about the investments, what will be produced and where the workplaces will be located. As long as this power is not broken, it is impossible to pursue a policy aimed at preserving the settlement pattern and managing the companies' establishments. The Socialist Electoral Association demands the socialization of the banks and the credit system now – not just investigations into the transition to "social institutions".

7. Real corporate democracy!

The current laws must be extended in the first place to include all employees in both state and private companies. The law must require that employees in groups have the right to representation in all leading and governing bodies. The Socialist Electoral Association will work to ensure that the bodies created by the current laws and arrangements become real bodies for the workers' interests. We will therefore work to develop the scheme so that the workers get a majority to prevent the abuses that the capitalist form of government entails. The goal must be that all the workers and other employees in interaction with elected organizations are secured the power over the companies in order to be able to look after society's and their own interests in all matters of importance: working conditions, management and organisation, investments, personnel issues etc.

8. Fair tax policy – ​​get rid of VAT on food!

In 1969, the parties in the Socialist Electoral Association fought the introduction of VAT, but we got a new anti-social tax system. The Socialist Election Association demands that VAT on food and necessary consumer goods be removed immediately. The progression limits should be raised and regulated in accordance with price and wage developments. Tax burdens must be placed on those who can afford to bear them.

9. Action plan against tax evasion – use the legal system!

One of the reasons for the high tax burden is that a huge amount is evaded from the public sector due to tax evasion. It is estimated that approx. NOK 4000 million annually is avoided from taxation. Workers must tax every penny, but the authorities are powerless in the face of the big tax fraudsters which in a "legal" and illegal way causes society a loss of billions of kroner a year. The Socialist Electoral Association demands an action plan against tax evasion, which today is punished less than small talk.

10. Fight against price increases!

The price increase is due to many factors. Capital owners get the most profit in the big cities and move there. This means pressure on the economy, which in turn leads to price increases. Before, prices increased by just under 4 per cent a year. The introduction of VAT meant a sharp rise in prices. Today it is approx. 7 percent. The parties in the Socialist Party of Sweden warned against the VAT price increase. Judge if we got it right!

11. Introduction of a guaranteed minimum wage!

In the last decade, the wage gap in society has not decreased, but on the contrary has increased. Large groups of the population struggle with financial problems, while top incomes rise and the rich pay zero taxes. Socialist Election Association requires the introduction of a guaranteed minimum wage corresponding to 90 per cent of the average industrial worker's income.

12. Free negotiation rights – no to the wage board!

At the same time as the climate in working life has become harsher, the workers have lost many of their opportunities to actively fight against exploitation. The Socialist Electoral Association demands free bargaining rights, a real right to strike and an end to the use of wage boards against the trade unions. We distance ourselves from the central management of salary settlements.

13. Abolish the discrimination of workers and white-collar workers!

The pressure on working people has increased in recent years. At the same time, the difference between workers and white-collar workers is maintained. The Socialist Election Association does not accept this injustice and demands the same conditions for workers and civil servants. Reduced working hours for shift workers, miners and others in health-hazardous occupations. Time studies and other rationalizations that threaten workers' health must be banned.

14. Full equality in working life!

The injustice in capitalist society shows itself not least in relation to women: A female industrial worker still earns on average 25 percent less than a male. The Socialist Election Association demands that all discrimination based on race and gender is removed and prohibited by law. Young workers and apprentices must be ensured proper training and proper pay and working conditions.

15. Action plan against company closure!

The number of business closures has increased sharply in recent years. Many municipalities have lost their entire livelihood when the owners have closed down the business after years of reaping the profits and draining the resources. The Socialist Electoral Association will fight this and demands that the state gets involved in such cases if necessary to ensure continued operation or alternative employment for those affected.

16. Fight against unhealthy working conditions!

The workers in a number of industrial companies have been confirmed through surveys that they are daily exposed to great health risks when working with nickel, paint, welding and a number of other substances related to chemical products and other. In the short or longer term, health deteriorates, and the Socialist Election Association's demand will be that there be more research and the initiation of protective measures or, if necessary, a halt to the production or use of such substances.

Sojalistisk Valgforbund demands that the company doctor be employed by the workers and paid by the public sector. Conservation work and environmental work must become an important part of the trade union's and clubs' work area.

17. Reduced working hours for parents with small children!

To a particular extent, the pressure in working life affects families with young children – and these families often have poor finances. Socialist Election Association demands reduced working hours for parents with small children, for people with reduced working capacity, and for those taking adult education. Any loss of wages must be compensated by the public sector.

18. Sick pay from day one!

The person who is ill shall not be punished further through financial losses. The Socialist Election Association demands that full pay during illness must be guaranteed for everyone, and that Sick pay must be paid from the first day of absence for everyone. Parents must be guaranteed sick pay if they have to be away from work due to children's illness.

19. Protect the outskirts of Norway!

It must be a main goal to preserve the settlement pattern in our country by preserving and supporting the individual local communities. The workplaces must be placed where people live, and people must not be forced to move from their place of origin to find work. The Socialist Electoral Association demands effective management of business establishments, and will fight the official regional plans because they create the conditions for continued relocation and centralization.

20. Support for small businesses!

In 1972, almost 9000 mills were shut down in Norway and more land was left fallow – despite hunger and hardship in other parts of the world. In order to maintain the settlement pattern and use the natural basis for food production, it is necessary to provide those employed in agriculture with living conditions on par with other industries. The conditions must be facilitated so that production of agricultural products should be decentralized in the villages.

21. Fight against pollution!

The concern for the greatest possible profit also means that many companies destroy nature and the environment. Many are aware of this, but the authorities content themselves with ineffective calls. Socialist Election Association demands tightening and stricter use of the licensing rules to prevent pollution, and that companies that pollute are held liable for damages.

22. Stop the centralization of the school system!

Against the constant centralization in schools, the Socialist Electoral Association sets a policy which ensures the local communities who want it the right to keep their school or get back a closed school. We want to ensure that the individual school and the local community have extensive autonomy and respect the students' right to freedom of expression and influence in their own workplace. The state must secure the financial basis for the development of the school system in the individual municipalities and counties.

23. No to nuclear power plants!

The enormous investment in energy-intensive industry that the bourgeois and the Norwegian Labor Party have agreed on threatens our waterways and has led to plans for nuclear power plants. This will lead to increased centralization and can have disastrous environmental effects. The Socialist Election Association is moving towards the continued development of power-intensive industry. We are actively involved in protecting the remaining waterways, and opposes the construction of the proposed nuclear power plant and will instead prioritize the production of electricity based on natural gas from the North Sea.

24. The liner freight agreement must be changed – rail traffic is maintained!

Despite strong protests from the railway staff, the Storting passed the Line Goods Agreement against one vote. The agreement represents a heavy-handed corporate financial rationalization at the expense of the district's interests. The Socialist Election Association opposes NSB's long-term plan. We want to give the railway a second chance, call about the railway lines which are threatened by rationalization plans and rebuilding NSB's own goods system. The Nordlandsbanen must be taken further north.

Norway must withdraw from NATO. Disband the military blocs.

25. Free local traffic!

The ever-increasing centralization in society means that cities and towns are threatened by traffic chaos. The Socialist Electoral Association wants a ban on the use of private cars in the big cities during and around working hours, and is instead in favor of free local transport in the press areas. Public transport must be prioritized at the expense of the motorways.

26. No metropolitan airport in Norway!

Despite the enormous damaging effects of centralisation, particularly in the Eastland area, work is actively being done to build a metropolitan airport. This will mean further centralization of jobs and cause major environmental damage. Sojalistisk Valgforbund will oppose this policy with all its might and is instead in favor of decentralized development of small airports and better utilization of the existing facilities.

27. No to centralization of hospitals and health services!

In recent years, we have experienced the centralization of hospitals and health services. This means that people in large parts of the country get poorer services and longer journeys to doctors and hospitals. The Socialist Electoral Association opposes this policy and is only in favor of building health and social care centers where this overall means an improvement in the local health service for the population.

28. No to bureaucracy in the social sector!

The right-wing forces claim that many abuse the social security system. However, all reliable surveys show that social security abuse is not a major problem in Norway today.

It is a much bigger problem that many people do not get the social security and social benefits they are entitled to because they do not know their rights. Bureaucratic tendencies in the social sector must be countered. The Socialist Election Association rejects the security and demands measures to spread information about people's rights.

The Socialist Election Association will fight the capitalist policy which creates social problems in today's society.

29. More daycare centers for children!

There is still a strong need for the development of day care facilities for young children and leisure centers for school children throughout the country. Day care centers are an important preventive measure for children and a prerequisite for anyone who wishes to be able to enter working life. Sojalistisk Valgforbund will increase the pace of development of daycare facilities through statutory mandate. The educational capacity for kindergarten teachers must be increased.

30. Right to self-determined abortion!

Today, women who want an abortion have to go through embarrassing and degrading experiences application processes. Often the results are both arbitrary and tragic. In order to put an end to these undignified conditions, the Socialist Electoral Association advocates that the woman herself is guaranteed the right to make the final decision. At the same time, guidance services and other social measures must be improved, so that the women have a real choice.

31. More and cheaper housing!

Housing queues and a huge increase in housing speculation are another consequence of the centralization policy. This particularly affects people with regular incomes. The Socialist Electoral Association will ensure more and cheaper housing through limiting the workplaces in pressure areas, social housing, lower housing interest rate, public housing agency, public right of first refusal according to rate to prevent someone from taking advantage of other people's housing shortage. The public sector must take over land in development and pressure areas.

32. Development aid for liberation!

Through our western connection, Norway is today on the wrong side of the international class struggle. The Socialist Election Association will instead support the countries and national liberation movements that fight against imperialism and pursue a trade and shipping policy that can reduce the injustice to which developing countries are subjected. The development aid must be a support for liberation and development for the vast majority in the developing countries, and not be used for Norwegian capital interests or to secure the position of the upper class in the recipient countries.

33. Military millions for progress!

Despite the detente in Europe, the rearmament in Norway continues with undiminished force. Only the USA, West Germany and France of the NATO countries spend more money per citizen to the military. As a first step, the Socialist Electoral Association demands a sharp cut in the defense budget, and is in favor of an immediate reduction by a quarter. Use the defense millions for progress – lighten the tax burden on most people!