OSLO, Norway — Tens of thousands of Norwegians went on strike Wednesday in the biggest labor conflict to hit this small, wealthy Scandinavian nation in 14 years.
Outside Norway, major European carmakers could face shortages of key parts made by Norwegian firms.
The country's largest union ordered 84,600 members out on strike after the rank and file rejected a contract proposal last week. Disgruntled unionists complained they were asked to accept small pay hikes while business leaders got large raises during the current national economic boom.
"I think the vote is a protest against the increasing differences there have been in society, and especially that a small group at the top has grabbed such big wage increases," said Labor Party leader and Foreign Minister Thorbjoern Jagland.
The rejected pact included a 3.5 percent to 4 percent pay hike, which was higher than annual inflation of about 2.5 percent, and a fifth week's paid vacation starting in 2002. Contracts accepted by the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions are a benchmark and tend to set the standard for other labor settlements.
The strike is the biggest to hit this nation of 4.5 million people since a 1986 conflict idled more than 100,000 workers. It initially hit construction and transport industries, some ferries and many newspapers.
The suspension of service by some private security companies caused concerns that some banks might run out of cash that normally is transported by such firms.
Many newspapers, including the three largest, suspended print editions because of striking graphics workers but published Internet editions.
Some grocery stores already were low on products.