Abstract
A new Danish trade union confederation Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation (FH) formally came into being on 1 January 2019, following the amalgamation of the two largest trade union confederations in Denmark. The Trade Union confederation Denmark (LO), which represented trade unions organising skilled and unskilled workers in primarily the private sector, merged with FTF, which organised primarily salaried employees in the public sector. The new trade union confederation represents 1.1 million employees. That the merger actually succeeded this time was due to specific matches in the positions and
interests of the large trade union federations within LO and FTF. In this article we identify the main changes resulting in the successful formation of the new FH. In
largely chronological order, we analyse the positions of the large trade unions in relation to the two main motivations for the merger: to strengthen the trade union movement’s position of power and to counter declining membership and the ensuing financial difficulties. These motivations are in line with the findings of previous research on union mergers as a way to achieve renewal and
counter challenges. Furthermore, we describe the scepticism towards the merger among parts of the trade union movement, which has resulted in some unions breaking away.
interests of the large trade union federations within LO and FTF. In this article we identify the main changes resulting in the successful formation of the new FH. In
largely chronological order, we analyse the positions of the large trade unions in relation to the two main motivations for the merger: to strengthen the trade union movement’s position of power and to counter declining membership and the ensuing financial difficulties. These motivations are in line with the findings of previous research on union mergers as a way to achieve renewal and
counter challenges. Furthermore, we describe the scepticism towards the merger among parts of the trade union movement, which has resulted in some unions breaking away.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Transfer: European review of Labour and Research |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Pages (from-to) | 229–234 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 1024-2589 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 17 Jul 2019 |
