Jørgensen, Carsten
Care services in private hands as local authorities increase use of outsourcing
27 július 2000
Outsourcing, or contracting-out, of tasks to private enterprises has been
expanding rapidly among local authorities and this development will gain
increasing momentum, according to a new study [1] carried out by the
municipal sector employers' organisation, the National Association of Local
Authorities (Kommunernes Landsforening, KL) concerning the scope of tendering
and outsourcing activities in local authorities. The report was published in
June 2000.
[1] http://www.kl.dk/kl.net?sidenr=208196
Railway union merges with HK
27 június 2000
At an extraordinary meeting of delegates on 28 May 2000, the Railways
Association (Jernbaneforeningen) decided to merge with HK/Stat, the state
employees' sector organisation within the Union of Commercial and Clerical
Employees (Handels- og Kontorfunktionærernes Forbund, HK). This merger -
which was the result of more than one year's negotiations - comes into effect
on 1 June 2000. From that date, the members of the Railroad Association -
together with the present members of HK/Stat in the state transport sector -
are members of the new sectoral unit attached to HK/Stat. The merger also
comprises the Staff Union in Air Transport (Luftfartsvæsenets
Personaleforbund) which itself merged with the Railroad Association on 1 May
2000. The new sectoral unit will be called the Sectoral Unit Traffic and
Railroads (Brancheafdelingen Trafik og Jernbane) and will have just over
5,000 members (both public servants and salaried employees) working in
enterprises, board and agencies in the traffic sector.
Minister of Labour opposes legislation on urine tests
27 május 2000
On 23 February 2000, an industrial arbitration tribunal held that the Danish
passenger shipping line Danish Seaways (DFDS) was entitled to conduct
unannounced urine tests on crew members to detect any use of intoxicants. The
action was brought by the Danish Association of Maritime Catering
Establishments (Dansk Sø-Restaurations Forening, DSRF) and the Danish
Confederation of the Catering Trade (RestaurationsBranchens Forbund, RBF)
against Danish Seaways, as the two trade unions felt that the shipping
company's regulations on participation in tests for alcohol, drugs and other
intoxicants had been issued unjustly. This was a test case, as there was no
previous ruling on whether an employer may order employees to participate in
such unannounced tests.
New public sector pay systems lead to individualised strikes
27 április 2000
The traditional picture of strikes involving large numbers of manual workers
is being challenged at present in Denmark by a tendency for strikes by
individual highly-qualified workers, or small groups of them. It seems that
individual pay negotiations are preparing the way for individual strikes. At
the beginning of April 2000, four members of the academic staff in the
National Working Environment Authority (Arbejdstilsynet) had been striking
for three months, while two employees of the Danish Environmental Protection
Agency (Miljøstyrelsen) took strike action throughout the winter of 1998/9,
and a single employee in the county administration of Northern Jutland went
on strike for nearly six months in 1999.
Unlawful strike by bus drivers
27 március 2000
During the 2000 collective bargaining round - which was the most peaceful in
modern history - the general impression was that if a dispute were to break
out, it would be in the transport sector, which faced the most difficult
negotiations over a four-year deal (DK0002167F [1]) An agreement was,
nevertheless, reached, but immediately after the Public Conciliator had
published his final compromise text for the entire bargaining round, bus
drivers in all parts of Denmark went on strike unlawfully - in protest
against the General Workers' Union (Specialarbejderforbundet i Danmark, SiD).
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-working-conditions/2000-bargaining-round-completed-peacefully
Historic stability pact agreed in industry sector
27 február 2000
Negotiations over a new collective agreement for the industry sector, which
is taking the lead in Denmark's 2000 bargaining round (DK0001161N [1]),
started formally between the Confederation of Danish Industries (Dansk
Industri, DI) and the Central Organisation of Industrial Employees in Denmark
(Centralorganisationen af industriansatte, CO-industri) on 4 January 2000.
The talks had been eagerly anticipated, with the dominant question being
whether the negotiations would result in a deadlock, as was the case in the
last bargaining round in 1998 (DK9805168F [2]). The central organisations -
the Danish Employers' Confederation (Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening, DA) and the
Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisationen i Danmark, LO) -
were waiting on the sidelines in case anything went wrong. The negotiations
took place secretly, with journalists excluded, and the expectations and
possible outcomes were repeatedly discussed. In late January, the social
partners suddenly emerged from the negotiating room - nearly three weeks
before the deadline when negotiations would have been transferred to the
public conciliation service - and declared that they had concluded a historic
agreement.
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/more-time-off-and-occupational-pensions-are-main-themes-in-bargaining
[2] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-industrial-relations/parliament-intervenes-to-end-major-conflict
More time off and occupational pensions are main themes in bargaining
27 január 2000
The spring 2000 Danish collective bargaining round (DK9912160F [1]) is
proceeding quietly at present. More time off for workers and regulation of
occupational pensions are the main issues, and the subject of pay increases
has not yet been broached. Except for the minority of "standard-wage"
bargaining units, such as transport, where sectoral agreements set actual pay
and there are no decentralised wage negotiations, all the other bargaining
units will enter a round of decentralised pay bargaining after the conclusion
of the sectoral agreements. Even though sectoral bargaining in these
"minimum-wage" areas will give an idea of the role that pay will play in the
local agreements, there are no guarantees.
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined/spectre-of-1998-dispute-looms-over-new-bargaining-round
Unlawful strike by bus drivers
27 január 2000
During the 2000 collective bargaining round - which was the most peaceful in
modern history - the general impression was that if a dispute were to break
out, it would be in the transport sector, which faced the most difficult
negotiations over a four-year deal (DK0002167F [1]) An agreement was,
nevertheless, reached, but immediately after the Public Conciliator had
published his final compromise text for the entire bargaining round, bus
drivers in all parts of Denmark went on strike unlawfully - in protest
against the General Workers' Union (Specialarbejderforbundet i Danmark, SiD).
[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/undefined-working-conditions/2000-bargaining-round-completed-peacefully
Danish collective bargaining round 2000 has initiated
27 december 1999
On 28 November 1999, the 2000 Danish collective bargaining round formally
began. At a marathon meeting, the Union of Commercial and Clerical
Employees/Commerce (Handel- og Kontorfunktionærernes Forbund/Handel,
HK/Handel) and the Danish Commerce and Service (Dansk Handel og Service,
DH&S) employers' organisation opened bargaining over a new agreement covering
40,000 shop assistants. HK had prepared for swift negotiations, with an
agreement before Christmas, but the employers were in no hurry. Within a day,
it was evident that DH&S had no intentions of expediting a bargaining
outcome, though the president of HK/Handel, Jørgen Hoppe, is still hoping
for an early result. The parties were due to meet again shortly before
Christmas, and Mr Hoppe believed that a result might be possible in early
January 2000, when the decision-making bargaining committee meets.
1999 Annual Review for DENMARK
27 december 1999
The Danish economy grew moderately in 1999, despite forecasts of a
significant slowdown. Total GDP growth was 2.7% in 1999, higher than the 2.4%
achieved in 1998 and above original estimates of 1.7% growth in 1999.