The Danish Trade Union Confederation (, 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 out of a population of roughly six million.
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.
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.
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.
Policy The new organisation decided to maintain the "Danish model", whereby pay and working conditions are negotiated without state involvement. It also argued in support of the Danish welfare state.
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.
The federation organises May Day demonstrations. For its first May Day, in 2019, the theme of the demonstrations was "unity".
Organisation The federation is led by president Lizette Risgaard, former president of LO, and six vice presidents.
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.
Affiliates Union Abbreviation MembershipMembers as of 31 December 2018, the day before the confederation was established. 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
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