LO, The Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (Danish: LO, Landsorganisationen i Danmark or simply LO) was founded in 1898 and was an umbrella organisation (the largest of the three national trade union centers in Denmark) for 18 Danish trade unions. At the end of 2018, it merged into the new Danish Trade Union Confederation.
History
Lizette Risgaard, who became the first ever female President for LO-Denmark in October 2015, had worked her way slowly up the ladder and was for eight years the vice president.
From 2015, LO engaged in negotiations with FTF about a potential merger. This occurred on 1 January 2019, and the LO became part of the new Danish Trade Union Confederation.
Organisation
In 2016, LO had a membership of about 1.1 million workers (450,000 of them being public sector employees and 650,000 of them being private sector employees). It cooperated with the two other Danish trade union centers: the AC – The Danish Confederation of Professional Associations and the FTF – Confederation of Professionals in Denmark.
Members of the 18 trade unions of the LO were typically skilled or unskilled manual labourers, tradesmen and blue-collar workers from the working class. Members may have had a vocational education, but not a college or academic degree. A typical LO-member occupied a lower class position in society and earned an hourly wage.
LO-members were e.g. blue-collar workers, cleaners, bus drivers, plumbers, electricians, nursing assistants, hairdressers, painters, cosmeticians, gardeners, iron workers, dairymen, secretaries, technicians, assistants, etc.
The LO was affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and the Council of Nordic Trade Unions (NFS).
The LO carried the role of coordinating collective bargaining. It also sought to influence the government and the political parties when it comes to drafting and implementing legislation, especially in relation to labour market policies. It represented the trade union movement's interests on various boards, commissions and committees.
Affiliates
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Union !! Abbreviation !! Formed !! Reason not affiliated !! Year !! Membership (1954) || 4,972
|-
| Danish Ship Builders', Riggers' and Sailmakers' Union || DSRS || 1971 || Merged into Metal || 1976 || N/A
|-
| Danish Ship Builders' Union || || 1892 || Merged into DSRS || 1971 || 1,563
|-
| Danish Shoemakers' Union || DSF || 1885 || Merged into DBTF || 1983 || 6,042
|-
| Danish Tanners' Union || || 1898 || Merged into Sadel || 1973 || 789
|-
| Danish Textile Workers' Union || DTAF || 1885 || Merged into DBTF || 1978 || 22,712
|-
| Danish Tobacco Workers' Union || || 1887 || Merged into NNF || 1980 || 7,843
|-
| Danish Timber Industry and Construction Workers' Union || TIB || 1997 || Merged into 3F || 2010 || N/A
|-
| Danish Tin and Plumbing Workers' Union || Blik og Rør || 1890 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || 3,320
|-
| Danish Typographical Union || DT-F || 1903 || Merged into GF || 1993 || 8,878
|-
| Danish Union of Bricklayers || Murer || 1887 || Merged into SID || 1994 || 11,715
|-
| Danish Union of Educators || PMF || 1983 || Merged into FOA || 2015 || N/A
|-
| Danish Union of Electricians || DEF || 1904 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || 7,700
|-
| Danish Union of Joiners || SF || 1885 || Merged into ST || 1970 || 13,475
|-
| Danish Union of Joiners and Carpenters || ST || 1970 || Merged into TIB || 1996 || N/A
|-
| Danish Union of Metalworkers || Metal || 1888 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || 59,329
|-
| Danish Union of Professional Technicians || TL || 1919 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || ?
|-
| Danish Union of Service Employees || Dff-S || 1911 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || 6,186
|-
| Danish Union of Slaughterhouse Workers || DSA || 1895 || Merged into NNF || 1980 || 13,020
|-
| Danish Vehicle Builders' Union || || 1895 || Merged into Metal || 1976 || 1,489
|-
| Danish Women Workers' Union || KAD || 1901 || Merged into 3F || 2004 || 41,081
|-
| Danish Woodworkers' Union || TIF || 1895 || Merged into TIB || 1996 || 11,963
|-
| FOA || FOA || 1992 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || N/A
|-
| Glaziers' Union of Denmark || || 1893 || Merged into ST || 1975 || 542
|-
| Glovemakers' Union of Denmark || || || Merged into Sadel || 1971 || 331
|-
| Gold and Silver Workers' Union of Denmark || || 1891 || Merged into Metal || 1984 || 1,899
|-
| Graphics Federation || GF || 1993 || Merged into HK || 2000 || N/A
|-
| Homeworkers' Union || HA || 1904 || Merged into FOA || 1992 || 4,098
|-
| Lighthouse Service Union || || || || || 255
|-
| Marine Firemen's Union of Denmark || || 1897 || Merged into Metal || 1980 || 1,750
|-
| Metal Workers' Union of Denmark || || 1903 || Merged into Metal || 1968 || 553
|-
| National Gastronomic Association || || 1972 || Merged into RBF || 1990 || N/A
|-
| Paper Industry Workers' Union || || 1895 || Merged into SID || 1983 || 2,089
|-
| Picture Frame Workers' Union of Denmark || || || Merged into TAF || 1970 || 100
|-
| Private Railway Personnel Union || || 1901 || Merged into DJF || 1984 || 960
|-
| Restaurant Trade Union || RBF || 1990 || Merged into 3F || 2006 || N/A
|-
| Riggers' and Sail Makers' Union || || 1919 || Merged into DSRS || 1971 || 257
|-
| Saddlers' and Upholsterers' Union of Denmark || Sadel || 1897 || Merged into ST || 1984 || 5,071
|-
| Semi-Skilled Metal Workers' Union || || 1918 || Merged into Metal || 1957 || 1,500
|-
| Skilled Cooks' Union || || 1934 || Merged into RBF || 1990 || 1,820
|-
| Stucco Workers' Union || || 1920 || || || 49
|-
| Telecommunications Union || TKF || 1994 || Merged into Metal || 2003 || N/A
|-
| Union of Commercial and Clerical Employees in Denmark || HK || 1900 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || 59,812
|-
| Union of State Mental Hospital Personnel || || || || || 136
|-
| United Federation of Danish Workers || 3F || 2004 || Transferred to FH || 2018 || N/A
|-
| Waiters' Union of Denmark || || 1931 || Merged into RBF || 1991 || 7,608
|-
| Watch Makers' Union || || || || || 775
|}
Presidents
:1898: Jens Jensen
:1903: Christian Martin Olsen
:1909: Carl Madsen
:1929: Vilhelm Nygaard
:1937: Christian Jensen
:1938: Knud V. Jensen
:1939: Laurits Hansen
:1943: Eiler Jensen
:1967: Thomas Nielsen
:1982: Knud Christensen
:1987: Finn Thorgrimson
:1996: Hans Jensen
:2007: Harald Børsting
:2015: Lizette Risgaard
References
External links
- LO's Official Website (in Danish)
- LO's Official Website (in English)
- Information published by LO (in English)