'Must find a balance'

Charlotte Sandmo has worked as a guide for nine years. She says she is glad someone is taking the initiative to improve working conditions.

Charlotte Sandmo works at Hurtigruten Svalbard, with a shift of six days on and two days off. "In addition, you can be free if you need to and ask about it. I don't want to say we're working a lot of overtime, but I think it's getting worse for small companies that do not have the same amount of guides to rotate," she says.

Line Nagell Ylvisåker

Publisert torsdag 15. mars 2018 - 11:24

Since Charlotte Sandmo started working as a guide, there have been major changes in the travel industry in Longyearbyen. Now she said she believes there is a need for changes for many of the guides.

"When I started, the season was in March and April," she said. "Then it was not so particular that we had 190-hour contracts and had to work a lot specifically during those two months. But when the season lasts from November to October, it will be different. I think that many have not realized that guides work a lot over a long period now."