Union representatives in finance 'have only limited influence'

Workplace trade union representatives in the Danish banking and finance sector are generally satisfied with their task and tend to act as local problem-solvers. However, they have little or no influence on important issues such as the working environment and pay. These are among the findings of a study published in April 2002 by the Financial Services Union.

During the course of 2001, the main trade union in banking and finance, the Financial Services Union (Finansforbundet, FF) conducted a study based on telephone interviews with its 1,200 current workplace union representative s (tillidsrepræsentanten) and 700 former representatives. The study, published in April 2002, finds that although workplace union representatives in the financial sector have a growing workload, they have little influence on major issues such as the working environment, dismissals and wages. Nevertheless, those involved find that their work as union representatives is an interesting task.

The FF study indicates that the union representatives are satisfied with their function - of all the people interviewed, 50% were very satisfied and 37% were generally satisfied. In most cases, they have been asked by their colleagues to assume this task, but they believe that colleagues do not support them in their daily work. Representatives are of the view that they have only little influence on the company's core activities and on management issues.

The 700 former union representatives were asked why they had ceased this function, and 90% indicated that the reason was structural or organisational change at their workplace, including company restructuring, resulting in 50% of cases in them taking a new job. Only about 10% of the representatives pointed to time pressure, pressure from management or colleagues, dissatisfaction or stress (1%) as the reason for ceasing.

With regard to their main role, 60% of those interviewed saw it as acting as problem-solvers at the local workplace and as a mediator between management and employees.

The study highlights a general lack of influence for representatives on important working conditions and a lack of support in their daily work. The representatives state that they have very little opportunity to influence major areas such as dismissals, the working environment, working time and wages. Of those interviewed, 77% feel that they have no influence on work organisation in the company and 72% that they have no influence on further and advanced training programmes for their colleagues.

The research indicates that workplace union representatives typically stop performing the task after one year. Against this background, FF concludes that strengthening the training of representatives would mean that they would stay longer in the role and thus obtain more competence and influence.