arbeidere

Arbeidere is the plural form of arbeider, meaning a worker or laborer. In Norwegian, arbeider refers to a person employed in work, and in sociopolitical contexts the indefinite plural arbeidere is used to denote the working class. The term derives from arbeid (work) with the agent suffix -er; the definite plural is arbeiderne. The word is used in everyday language as well as in academic and political discourse to discuss labor and class.

Historically, industrialization in the 19th century spurred the emergence of a wage-earning population and a growing labor movement. Workers organized to demand better wages, reasonable hours, and safer conditions, leading to the formation of trade unions and political groups associated with the working class. In Norway, the Labour Party (Arbeiderpartiet) was founded in 1887 and became a central voice for arbeidere in politics and policy.

Today, arbeidere work across sectors such as manufacturing, construction, transport, health, education, and services. They are commonly represented by trade unions under the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and other sectoral bodies. Norway's system of collective bargaining and workplace safety regulation aims to improve wages, conditions, and social protections for workers while maintaining a high standard of living and social welfare.

While the term remains a staple in discussions of labor and class, the composition of arbeidere has diversified with shifts toward service and knowledge-based employment, immigration, and changing labor-market dynamics. The concept continues to shape political debates and labor policy in Norway and in other Nordic contexts, where the working class has played a central role in shaping welfare state structures.