Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers Organising A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector

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• Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers -
  Organising A10 Workers in the Danish Construction
  Sector
• Jens Arnholtz Hansen
• Employment Relations Research Centre (FAOS),
• University of Copenhagen
• 1st TURI network Conference - The Future of Trade
  Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October 2008

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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008

• Norway and Denmark in comparison
• Small economies - Labour force 2.450000 in
  Norway, 2.900000 in Denmark
• Both have had booming economies 2004-2008 in
  Norway, 2006-2008 in Denmark.
• Both have low unemployment 2,8 in Norway, 1,6
  in Denmark
• Both have no statutory minimum wage, but relay on
  collective agreement coverage
• Both have transitional regulations for A10
  workers requiering full time employment and
  normal wages to obtain work permit, but
  otherwise no restriction on numbers
• They are the two nordic countries who have
  recived the most A10 workers
• In other words they are very similar cases

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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008
Differences between Norwegian and Danish
construction Danish construction unions have a
higher coverage and a higher density 88 of
the workers in Danish construction are union
members, only 42 in Norwegian 74 of the
workers in Danish construction are covered by a
collective agreement, only 58 in Norwegian
but Norwegian unions are more successful in
organizing A10 migrant workers. 14 of the A10
workers in construction are organised in Norway,
only app. 3 in Denmark. It is a paradox that
the strongest union seems to be the least
successful in recruiting this new group of
potential members!
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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008
Two possible explanation time and numbers
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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008
Differences in strategy
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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008

• Four problems facing Danish construction unions
• Location and status clarification
• Industrial action and negotiation of agreements
• Documentation of breaches to collective
  agreements
• Implementation of labour court rulings

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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008

• From policing to organizing?
• Official change of strategy and organizing
  initiatives at federation level
• Very mixed picture at the local level some are
  forerunners and spur the federation on, others
  lack behind.
• Initiatives by individuals and local branches
  seems to have great importance

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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008
From control to organizing at the local level?
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Strong Trade Unions Meet EEC Workers - Organising
A10 Workers in the Danish Construction Sector,
1st TURI network Conference - The Future of
Trade Union Structures and Strategies, 14 October
2008
The Nordic model between local militancy and
federation institutionalism have the strong
Danish unions found the right balance with regard
to A10 workers?