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Norwegian Confederation of Trade UnionsPreface The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) is decidedly the largest and most influential workers' organisation in Norway. LO has a strong position in society and has set its stamp on society's development throughout the whole of this century. LO's strength relates mainly to three factors: * Widespread and general following * Efficient and powerful organisation * Active social-policy involvement This site describes how LO works and how the organisation is structured. It gives an outline of the development of the trade union movement from the turn of the century and up until the end of the 1990'ies and sets out the objectives which LO will be working towards in the years ahead. _________________________________________________________________ An Important Part of Society The whole of society is the sphere of action and interest of LO. LO is often consulted before the Government adopts its approach to social and economic matters. LO is represented in a great number of officially appointed committees. Among the subjects of particular concern to LO are the fight against unemployment, conditions of pay and work, social security and equal opportunities for all groups in society, equality between men and women, the working environment, the external environment, and international solidarity and cooperation. The trade union movement spends considerable efforts on influencing all decisions and resolutions which affect members. The dissemination of information is another important part of the organi sation's work. An open, two-way communication between members and elected officers at every level is an essential prerequisite here. It is further important to ensure that the trade union movement's programmes and resolutions are made known to the membership, to the authorities, and to all interest groups with whom LO is in contact. Political Involvement to Further the Interests of LO Members Neither LO nor any of LO's national unions are affiliated to a political party. However, the trade union movement has set objectives which can only be achieved through political resolutions. This means that the trade union movement must also work on the political front to ensure proper influence on behalf of members' interests. For this reason, LO attempts to influence the parties and elected political representatives so as to ensure that they take account of trade union views. Throughout its history, LO has maintained a close relationship with the Norwegian Labour Party. The Labour Party is the largest political party in Norway. It is a social democratic party which builds on the same fundamental tenets as those held by the trade union movement. This cooperation is today carried on on a free and evenly matched basis. LO does also work to extend its contacts with other political circles demonstrating understanding for the views of the trade union movement. LO will increasingly seek to promote members' interests by way of socio- political work based on the terms of the trade union movement. _________________________________________________________________ The Trade Union Movement in Norway Norway enjoys freedom of assocation and the freedom to form and join a trade union. LO is Norway's largest and most influential workers' organisation. More than 800,000 workers are affiliated to the national unions which in turn are affiliated to LO. Almost 45 per cent of LO's members are women. In some unions, women make up three quarters of the membership. Local-level Organisations At all workplaces where there are LO members, elected officers take on union work and represent the members vis-a-vis the employers. There are about 150,000 elected officers in LO. All LO trade unionists have the right to elect their own representatives and the right to stand for election. The trade union movement in Norway is democratically structured with free elections at every level and in all organisational units. At larger workplaces in particular, trade unionists form into local trade union branches. Via the branches, they may take up matters directly with the company management. There are about 15,000 local trade union branches in LO. All trade unionists in Norway belong to a local trade union or a trade union department which represents members' interests at the local level. The local trade union may consist of members at one workplace (and may at the same time also be a local trade union branch). Alternatively, it may have members from several workplaces situated in the same place. There are some 3,000 local trade unions or departments in LO. In about 180 communities there are local-level LO organisations. These are the cooperative bodies of the local unions in municipalities or regions and LO's auxiliary bodies at the local level. They take up matters of common interest for union members and operate across professional and national union borders. Guidelines for the activities of LO's local-level organisations are adopted by the LO Congress. National Unions LO's national unions are national organisations built up of local trade unions or departments. Each national union covers a specific trade, a branch of business, or a public service sector. 28 national unions are affiliated to the LO. They vary in membership from less than thousand to well over 200,000. In recent years, more unions have merged in order to effect greater influence and provide better service to their members. LO's organisational structure is constantly reviewed and further developed. Cartels LO's cartels are organised across national union borders. All national unions organising members in the state sector are cooperating in LO State. National unions organising members within the county and the municipal sectors are cooperating in LO Municipal. National unions organising members in private sector industry are cooperating in LO Industry. LO Service comprises all unions organising members within the service sector. The 1993 LO Congress adopted the principle of establishing cartels. In June, 1994, LO's General Council decided to amend the name of the Norwegian Federation of State Employees' Unions to LO State, and the name of LOK to LO Municipal. In addition, two more cartels were set up: LO Industry and LO Service. The purpose of dividing LO into four cartels is as follows: 1. To ensure an identical organisation of the relationship between LO and its national unions in the public and the private sectors. 2. To facilitate the cooperation on important tasks between national unions with related interests in important matters, particularly in connection with matters concerning collective bargaining, business and industry, and sector-related issues. The cartels shall design an industrial and bargaining policy which reflects the common interests of its member unions. They shall further serve as bodies to be consulted in hearings. More tasks will be transferred from LO to the cartels. All of LO's national unions have through their national conferences consented to the establishment of the cartels. The national unions are the owners and the operators of the cartels. The national unions are duty-bound to register their members with the cartels, based on the scope of their collective agreements. Cooperation with Other Organisations A declaration of intent has been signed between LO and the Confederation of Academic and Professional Unions in Norway (AF) on cooperation in central fields, to promote members' influence in relation to social developments, and to defend workers' interests in working life and in society at large. LO and AF have together about one million members. LO is also involved in cooperation agreements with the Norwegian Union of Teachers, the Norwegian Actors' Association, and the Norwegian Union for Dancers, Choreographers and Dance Pedagogs. Landsorganisasjonen i Norge - LO, Youngs gate 11, 0181 Oslo Telefon 23 06 10 50 - Telefax: 23 06 17 43
