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CO-industri - An organisation for industrial employees in Denmark

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Published by the Central Organisation of Industrial Employees in Denmark June 2012Vester Soegade 12, 2nd floorDK-1790 Copenhagen VTelephone: +45 3363 8000 Fax +45 3363 8099www.co-industri.dke-mail: co@co-industri.dk

Eds.: Linda Hansen (responsible under press law)Layout: Lise TrampedachISBN no.: 87-91537-33-9

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Main tasks of CO-industri• Collectivebargaining

• Negotiationsconcerningindustrialdisputes

• Wagesystems

• Cooperationcommittees

• Adviceandserviceto:

• Shopstewards

• Safetyrepresentatives

• Membersofcooperationcommittees

• Employeerepresentativesontheboardsofdirectorsofpubliclimited

companies

• Employment

• Industrialpolicy

• Energypolicy

• Educationandtraining

• Financialandlegaladvice

• Technology

• Healthandsafetyatwork

• Externalenvironment

• Mentalhealthandsafetyatwork

• IndustrialPensionscheme

• Internationalwork

• TheEU

• EuropeanWorksCouncils(EWC)

An organisation with traditionsCO-industri(TheCentralOrganisationofIndustrialEmployeesinDenmark)wasfound-edin1992.TheorganisationwhichisanassociationoftradeunionsformedtolookaftercommoninterestswasformedasCO-Metal(TheCentralOrganisationofDanishMetalWorkers)on1July1912bythreetradeunions.Theobjectivewastoensurereasonablepayandworkingconditionsformembersoftheironandmetalindustries.

Today,eightunionsforemployeesintheindustrialsectorareunitedinthecartelCO-industriwhichconsistsofworkersemployedonatime-ratebasisaswellastechnicalandadministrativeworkersemployedonasalariedbasisinDanishindustry.

CO-industri negotiates collective agreementsCO-industrinegotiatescollectiveagreementswiththeemployersinDI–Confedera-tionofDanishIndustry,inmajorareas:workersemployedonatime-ratebasisandadministrativeandtechnicalworkersemployedonasalariedbasisinindustry.Further,CO-industrihasenteredintocollectiveagreementswithanumberofindustrialenter-prisesoutsideDI.

Theagreementsconcernpaysystems,workingtime,holidays,daysoff,maternityleave,payduringillness,pension,educationandtraining,rulesofemploymentandnotice,shiftandnightwork,mentalhealthandsafetyatworketc.Theoverallframeworkofthecollectiveagreementsissupplementedbylocalagree-ments,negotiatedbythepartiesattheenterprises.

Duringtheperiodsbetweentheconclusionsofcollectiveagreements,technicalandlegaladviceisprovidedbyCO-industrionanydisagreementsconcerningcollectiveagreements.

Employment and industrial policyCO-industritakesanactivepartinthedebateonindustrialpolicyinordertomain-tainandcreatejobs.CO-industriismemberofanumberofcouncilsandcommitteesworkingonlegislationandactivitiestopromoteemployment,industrialdevelopment,innovationandresearch.

TogetherwiththeemployersatDICO-industrihasestablishedregional,industrialcom-mitteesthroughoutthecountry.

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Education and training and co-operationCO-industriisworkingactivelytoensurethattheknowledgeandcompetenciesofindustrialworkersarecontinuouslyupdatedanddeveloped.CO-industriparticipatesinalargenumberofactivitiesthroughtheIndustrialTrain-ingandCooperationFund(IUS)andtheCompetenceDevelopmentFundofIndustry(IKUF):courses,conferences,marketingofvocationalcourses,technologicaldevelop-ment,developmentofeducationandtrainingandstudiesinaswellDenmarkasabroad.

ThroughtheSUMtrainingproject,CO-industricooperateswithemployersonthestrategicdevelopmentofemployeesand,throughTekSam,onthedevelopmentoftechnologyandcooperation.

Health and safety at work and the external environmentCO-industricoordinatesactivitiesonhealthandsafetyatworkandtheexternalenvi-ronment,anditprovidesassistancetounionsinconcretecases.

Industrialworkersandemployersarejointlymakinganintenseenvironmentaleffort,nationallyaswellasinternationally.Theworkers’secretariatattheIndustrialOccupa-tionalHealthCouncil(I-BAR)isplacedatCO-industri.TheCouncilpreparesguidelinesandinformationmaterialetc.onhealthandsafetyatworkandparticipatesinthecampaignsandactivitiesoftheDanishWorkingEnvironmentServiceandcanalsoprovideadvicetoemployeesandenterprises.

At the international levelCO-industriisnotonlylookingaftertheinterestsofwageandsalaryearnersinDenmarkbutisalsooperatinginternationally,e.g.throughcooperationprojectsandparticipationintheinternationalfederationsoftradeunionsinthemetal,chemistry,energy,food,industrialandtextileindustries.

CO-industriparticipatesintheworkontransposingEUdirectivesintoDanishrulesthroughagreementsbetweenthesocialpartners.

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InformationCO-industripublishesCO-Magasinet.Itisaimedprimarilyatshopstewards,safetyrepresentatives,employeerepresentativesontheboardsofdirectorsofpubliclimitedcompaniesandothersholdingpositionsoftrust,aswellastradeunionsandtheirbranches.

CO-industri’shomepagewww.co-industri.dkprovidesthelatestinformationandnews,includingCO-Magasinet,pressreleases,coursesandmanyotheritemsofinformation.Furthermore,youcanfind,downloadororderbookletsandprintedpapersdirectlyviathehomepage.

Tradeunions,branchesandshopstewardscanobtainaccesstocollectiveagreements,industrialarbitration,CO-DIagreementsetc.ontheclosedpartofthehomepage.Here,youcanalsofindaspecialcompanyserviceforemployeerepresentativesontheboardsofdirectorsofpubliclimitedcompaniesaswellasaspecialEWCservice.

Political structureCO-industriconsistsofanumberoftradeunionsfortheemployeesoftheindustrialsector.ThedecisionsaremadepartlybyCentralManagement(CM),whichisacommitteeofrepresentatives,andpartlybytheExecutiveCommit-tee(EC).

CentralManagementisthesupremeauthorityofCO-industri,themembersofwhichareappointedbythememberorganisationsaccordingtothelawsofCO-industri.CentralManagementconsistsof50members;49fromthemem-berunionsandthegeneralsecretaryofCO-industri.

The14membersoftheExecutiveCommitteeareelectedbytheCentralMan-agement.InconnectionwiththecollectivebargainingthecommitteefunctionsasthebargainingcommitteeofCO-industri.Normally,theExecutiveCom-mitteehasfouryearlyordinarymeetingsatwhichthetechnicalandpoliticalsituationsarediscussed.

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Executive Committee• ThorkildE.Jensen,DanishMetalworkers’Union(DM),PresidentofCO-industri• MadsAndersen,UnitedFederationofDanishWorkers,(3F),Vice-presidentofCO-industri• ArneSørensen,GeneralSecretary,CO-industri• ClausJensen,DanishMetalworkers’Union(DM)• KeldBækkelundHansen,DanishMetalworkers’Union(DM)• FlemmingAndersen,UnitedFederationofDanishWorkers,(3F)• TinaChristensen,UnitedFederationofDanishWorkers,(3F)• SimonTøgern,UnionofCommercialandClericalEmployeesinDenmark(HK/Privat)• MarianneVind,UnionofCommercialandClericalEmployeesinDenmark(HK/Privat)• JørgenJuulRasmussen,TheElectricalUnion(DEF)• GitaGrüning,DanishAssociationofProfessionalTechnicians(TL)• MaxMeyer,DanishUnionofPlumbersandAlliedWorkers(B&R)• VillyNielsen,DanishUnionofWorkersinServiceTrades• JørnErikNielsen,DanishUnionofHousePainters

Central ManagementThetechnical/politicalworkofCO-industriiselaboratedanddiscussedinanumberofdifferenttradecommittees.

The Committees are• TheCollectiveAgreementCommittee(ArneSørensen,CO-industri)• TheShopStewards’Committee(VibekeAnsbjerg,HK/Privat)• TheEnvironmentalCommittee(KennethBergen,DanishMetalworkers’Union)• TheTrainingCommittee(PerPåskesen,DanishMetalworkers’Union)• TheCommitteeforEqualOpportunitiesandSocialAffairs(TinaChristensen,United FederationofDanishWorkers)• TheCommitteeforInternationalAffairs(ArneSørensen,CO-industri)• TheShipbuildingCommittee(ClausJensen,DanishMetalworkers’Union)• TheEnergyproductionanddistributionCommittee(JohnHansen,UnitedFederationof DanishWorkers)• TheFoundryCommittee(JensPeterChristensen,UnitedFederationofDanishWorkers)• TheCommunicationtechnology,TeleandElectronicCommittee(BennyYssing,The ElectricalUnion)• ThePermanentWageSystemCommittee(ClausKroghHansen,CO-industri)• ThePensionCommittee(DennisJensen,CO-industri)• TheOrganisationCommittee(ArneSørensen,CO-industri)

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CO-industri in figuresMember union Membership 1.1.2011 CM membersDanishMetalworkers’Union 92.500 14

UnitedFederationofDanishWorkers 102.677 13

UnionofCommercialandClerical

Employees,HK/Privat 32.042 7

DanishAssociationofProfessionalTechnicians 9.000 4

TheElectricalUnion 7.000 4

DanishUnionofPlumbersandAlliedWorkers 1.200 3

DanishUnionofHousePainters 210 2

DanishUnionofWorkersinServiceTrades 179 2

Totalmembership 244.808OrganizationSecretary,ArneSørensen,CO-industri 1

TotalCM 50

Atwww.co-industri.dkyoucanlearnmoreaboutCO-industri:

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emberunionsoftheCentralOrganization,workingparties,em

ployeesatthesecretariat,bookletsand

printedpapers,CO-Magasinetandalotm

ore.Furthermore,collectiveagreem

ents,industrialarbitrationsandthespecialserviceforemployee

representativesontheboardsofdirectorsofpubliclimitedcompanies,areavailablehere.

Vester Soegade 12, 2nd floorDK-1790 Copenhagen VTelephone: +45 3363 8000 Fax +45 3363 8099www.co-industri.dke-mail: co@co-industri.dk