New trade union confederation for professionals established

In October 1997, several large trade unions disassociated themselves from AF, the Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations. These trade unions have established a new confederation for academically-qualified staff.

On Monday 20 October four trade unions disassociated themselves from the Federation of Norwegian Professional Associations (Akademikernes Fellesorganisasjon, AF). These four unions, along with the Norwegian Medical Association (Den Norske Lægeforening), the trade union federation for doctors, which had already disassociated itself from AF on 1 January 1997 (NO9709121F), have now established a new confederation for academically-qualified staff. The disassociated unions are the Norwegian Dental Association (Den norske Tannlegeforening), the Norwegian Society of Chartered Engineers (Norske Sivilingeniørers Forening), the Association of Norwegian Economists (Norske Siviløkonomers Forening) and the Norwegian Association of Lawyers (Norges Juristforbund). Einar E Madsen from the Norwegian Society of Chartered Engineers has been elected president of the new organisation, while the Norwegian Medical Association will initially be host for the new confederation's secretariat. Several other AF affiliates, including trade unions organising architects and veterinary specialists, are also considering whether or not to transfer to the new confederation.

When it became public knowledge that the unions were planning to leave the confederation, the plans took AF's top management by surprise and an extraordinary board meeting was called on 26 October. The board concluded that the actions of four of the trade unions was "reprehensible". However, the board did not exclude the trade unions, and therefore the disassociation will be not become effective until 1 January 1999.

The fragmentation of AF may in part be explained by internal disagreement over the confederation's wage policy, both with regard to its content and the priority accorded to its bargaining demands. AF encompasses a wide spectrum of trade unions. The unions which have disassociated from AF represent professions where university or higher degrees are prerequisites, and a substantial number of the members are employed in the private sector. These unions have been dissatisfied with their members' wage levels in the public sector, and would like to see a clearer wage profile which is more favourable to higher income groups, with a greater emphasis on local bargaining and more individually determined pay which reflects labour market considerations. On the other hand, AF also encompasses large trade unions which mainly organise occupational groups and professions within the public sector which seek to raise pay for the lowest paid academically-qualified groups through centralised wage bargaining.

In the long run, the the defections from AF will be particularly damaging. The four trade unions have altogether approximately 60,000 members, or approximately a quarter of AF's membership. It is expected that several smaller AF-affiliated unions will follow suit and disaffiliate. AF will therefore lose a significant share of its members and of its membership subscriptions. However, the new confederation will probably also meet significant problems in the beginning. It is expected that AF will use its right to collect membership subscriptions in the intermediate period. It is also uncertain what type of bargaining rights the newly established confederation will be able to obtain in the public sector, since bargaining rights within this sector are highly regulated by statute and through agreements. The creation of a new confederation means that Norway now has four different trade union confederations.