The strike began in Bergen in late May and disrupted the opening of the west coast city's annual music festival. It later spread to the national opera company and the Oslo Philharmonic, which was forced to cancel a tour to southeast Asia.

As previously reported, musicians were protesting their pay level: a statement from the Oslo Philharmonic released earlier in the month said, "The Musicians' Union is fighting for a raise in salaries, claiming that the salaries in the orchestras have not seen the same development over the last 10 years as other sectors in society."

The musicians' salaries average USD 58,300. Musicians were also unhappy about having to pay for their own instruments and performance attire.