Two of the largest trade unions in the Norwegian public sector - the Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees (Norsk Kommuneforbund, NKF) and the Norwegian Union of Practical Nurses (Norsk Helse- og Sosialforbund, NHSF) - have agreed to consider establishing a new organisation for employees in the municipal sector. Whereas NKF is affiliated to the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge, LO), NHSF is a member of the competing Confederation of Vocational Unions (Yrkesorganisasjonenes Sentralforbund, YS). With more than 230,000 members, NKF is the largest trade union affiliated to the LO and NHSF is the second largest trade union within the YS confederation, with approximately 50,000 members.
In August 1998, the Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees (NKF) - a member of the LO confederation - and the Norwegian Union of Practical Nurses (NHSF) - a member of the competing YS confederation - agreed to consider establishing a new organisation for employees in the municipal sector.
Two of the largest trade unions in the Norwegian public sector - the Norwegian Union of Municipal Employees (Norsk Kommuneforbund, NKF) and the Norwegian Union of Practical Nurses (Norsk Helse- og Sosialforbund, NHSF) - have agreed to consider establishing a new organisation for employees in the municipal sector. Whereas NKF is affiliated to the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisasjonen i Norge, LO), NHSF is a member of the competing Confederation of Vocational Unions (Yrkesorganisasjonenes Sentralforbund, YS). With more than 230,000 members, NKF is the largest trade union affiliated to the LO and NHSF is the second largest trade union within the YS confederation, with approximately 50,000 members.
The trade unions concerned stated that a final decision on the proposed organisation will be made within six years. Both the leader of the NKF, Jan Davidsen, and NHSF leader Tove Stangnes stressed that the two unions will continue as members of their respective confederations during the period of the review.
One important rationale for the talks is the wish of the two unions to strengthen their influence in local government. Both unions will also evaluate if a new organisation can improve their ability to safeguard and improve their members' pay and working conditions.
Before the news broke on 11 August 1998, it had not been publicly known that the two unions had been working to reach a cooperation agreement. According to NKF and NHSF, their respective confederations were not informed before the agreement was settled. News about the cooperation plans met with strong, negative reactions from YS. Randi Bjørgen, leader of YS, was disappointed at not being informed about the plans. Nonetheless, the YS executive board decided at a meeting on 25 August that NHSF would not be excluded from the confederation. The union will, however, be excluded from several central decision-making bodies within YS - amongst others the executive board. In contrast, LO's leader, ngve Hågensen, described the agreement as particularly positive, stating that mutual cooperation would strengthen the influence of members.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1998), Public sector trade unions consider cooperation, article.
