Denmark's largest union plans special effort

Organizing: Danish trade union 3F wants to strengthen its position within the farming industry, transportation sector, restaurants and cleaning.

The national congress of 3F, Denmark’s largest trade union, was held September 10-15. Here, the delegates agreed to invest heavily in a new organizing strategy.

The union delegates prioritized 99 million DKK over the next three years for organizing. Especially they want to recruit new members from the farming industry, the transportation sector, restaurants and cleaning. In those sectors, 3F is relatively weak compared to other industries.

3F president Per Christensen told the delegates: “This is about how to keep our members. How to recruit new members. And how to be present and visible in general. We need to retain our members in those sectors where we are strong. We need to organize people in those sectors where we are weak today. And in general, we must be visible and present on every single workplace, in the local communities and in the political arena."

Also, he said: “We must prioritize organizing and integrate organizing into everything we do. Organizing should be a permanent condition for us.”

Cleaning staff in hospitals are most urgent

Tina Møller Madsen is president of the national 3F division for private service, hotels and restaurants. She said that organizing cleaners in the hospitals is the most important job. In fact, the work has already started.

She explained:“The effort will be made in those sectors that have a certain need. Cleaning is one of those fields. The cleaning workers are really in danger of physical and mental exhaustion at an early age. 3F has between 45,000 and 50,000 potential new members in the cleaning industry.”

A new organizing plan for the hotel and restaurant industry will be presented soon.