Danish Trade Union Confederation
Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation
PredecessorDanish Confederation of Trade Unions, Confederation of Professionals in Denmark
Founded1 January 2019 (2019-01-01)
HeadquartersIslands Brygge 32D, 2300 Copenhagen
Location
  • Denmark
Members
1,400,000
Key people
Morten Skov Christiansen ( Acting Chairman )
AffiliationsITUC, ETUC, TUAC, NFS
Websitefho.dk

The Danish Trade Union Confederation (Danish: Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation, FH) is the largest national trade union centre in Denmark. On formation in 2019, it had 79 affiliated unions, with a total of 1.4 million members.[1]

History

The confederation was founded on 1 January 2019, when the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) merged with the Confederation of Professionals in Denmark (FTF). LO consisted of 18 unions, with a total of one million members, most of whom worked in the private sector, while FTF consisted of 70 professional organisations, with a total of just under 500,000 members, most of whom worked in the public sector.[1][2]

LO and FTF began discussing a possible merger in 2015. Some affiliates were dubious about the proposition. The FTF's Finance Federation opposed the merger, while LO's largest affiliate, the United Federation of Danish Workers (3F), only decided to support it early in March 2018. One week after 3F's decision, the FTF and LO voted on the proposal. 389 out of 400 delegates to the LO conference approved the merger, and 71.4% of voters in the FTF approved. The new federation's name and leadership were agreed in October 2018.[1][2][3]

Denmark's other trade union centre, the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC), decided against joining the new federation, arguing that its members' interests differed from those of the members of the LO and FTF.[1][4]

Policy

The new organisation decided to maintain the "Danish model", whereby pay and working conditions are negotiated without state involvement.[1][2] It also argued in support of the Danish welfare state.[1][2]

The federation remained affiliated to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), and argued that, as a larger organisation, it would be more influential within the ETUC. The federation also affiliated to Joint Committee of the Nordic Social Democratic Labour Movement, but described itself as independent of any political party.[1]

The federation organises May Day demonstrations. For its first May Day, in 2019, the theme of the demonstrations was "unity".[1]

Organisation

The federation is led by president Lizette Risgaard, former president of LO, and six vice presidents.[2]

The unions affiliated to FH have a high degree of independence, leaving the headquarters relatively small and with limited funds. FH was established with 25% fewer staff than its combined predecessors, and aimed to save 30% of administration costs.[1]

Affiliates

Union[5] Abbreviation Membership[6]
Army Privates' and Corporals' Association HKKF 4,101
Association of Court Employees 46
Association of Danish Cemetery Managers FDK 135
Association of Danish Chairpersons Not recorded
Association of Danish Inseminators 173
Association of Map and Surveying Technicians KLF 664
Association of Musicians in the Armed Forces DMF 70
Association of Parliamentary Servants 87
Association of Social Educators SL 35,648
Association of Technical and Administrative Officials TAT 536
Association of the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra 100
Aviation and Railway Trade Federation Not recorded
BUPL BUPL 55,480
Cabin Union Denmark 1,193
Central Association of Armed Forces Personnel CS 8,286
CO10 Musicians' Group Not recorded
Danish Actors' Association DSF 1,964
Danish Association of Pharmaconomists FF 4,541
Danish Association of Social Workers DS 13,913
Danish Artist Union DAF 1,150
Danish Bioanalysts Not recorded
Danish Chamber Orchestra Union 47
Danish Choir Association 62
Danish Choral Association 570
Danish Church Music Association 271
Danish Customs and Tax Association DTS 2,592
Danish Dental Hygienists 1,828
Danish EL-Federation DEF 22,808
Danish Elite Athletes' Association DEF-Sport Not recorded
Danish Football Players' Association SPF 667
Danish Forest and Landscape Engineers' Association Not recorded
Danish Handball Players' Association 553
Danish Musicians' Union DMF 4,883
Danish Nurses' Organization DSR 62,770
Danish Orthopaedic Engineers' Association 41
Danish Painters' Union Maler 6,677
Danish Podiatrists 1,632
Danish Police Federation 11,815
Danish Psychomotor Therapists DAP 948
Danish Radio Media Association MDR 228
Danish Sexton's Association 570
Danish Tin and Plumbing Workers' Union Blik og Rør 8,475
Danish Union of Metalworkers Metal 72,399
Danish Union of Professional Technicians TL 22,874
Danish Union of Teachers DLF 58,179
Diet and Nutrition Association KOST 8,230
DSL DSL 593
Education Association 9,187
FAF FAF 922
FOA FOA 153,985
Food Union NNF NNF 17,095
Frederiksberg Municipal Association FKF 441
Free Schools' Teachers' Association FSL 10,000
Gentofte Municipal Association GKF 392
Greenland Organisation for Public Employees AK Not recorded
HI HI 432
HK Denmark HK 179,262
Insurance Association 7,839
JID JID 1,208
Kirkekultur.nu Not recorded
KL Staff Association 118
National Orchestra Musicians' Joint Council 325
Organists' Association 581
Prisons Association FFT 227
Prison Federation KFF 2,807
PROSA PROSA 10,720
Public Emergency Preparedness Association DOBL 321
Radiographers' Council Radiograf 2,042
Radio Telegraphists' Association of 1917 Not recorded
SAFU SAFU 914
Services Union 15,121
Traffic League TRF 610
Tourist Guides' Association 251
United Federation of Danish Workers 3F 226,271
Viften 95

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Prelsler, Marle (11 February 2019). "Danish trade union movement gathers the troops". Nordic Labour Journal. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Dansk fagforeningskæmpe er blevet døbt FH". Avisen. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  3. ^ "LO og FTF får ja til at samle 1,5 millioner lønmodtagere". Berlingske. 13 April 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  4. ^ Blichert, Jasmina (22 May 2015). "Forsker afliver tanken om samlet fagbevægelse". BT. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
  5. ^ "Hvem er FH's medlemmer?". FH. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  6. ^ Members as of 31 December 2018, the day before the confederation was established. "Members per 31.12 by sex, member of organisation and time". Statistics Denmark. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
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