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The Fehmarnbelt tunnel is among the largest workplaces in Denmark, employing approximately 2,800 people.
Niclas Rasmussen, consultant at the trade union, HK Privat Sjælland, has been working by the construction site for the past few years. However, he does not construct the large tunnel elements. One of his key tasks is to ensure good working conditions for the employees at the construction site.
Niclas Rasmussen at the site.
Language can be a barrier
Since most of the employees are international workers, it is more challenging than usual to organise them. Niclas Rasmussen explains:
- Of course, language is a barrier when it comes to organising and getting to know the international workers. Some of them speak neither English nor Danish. This makes it difficult to build relations, explain workplace rules and Danish legislation – and to win trust and support among the employees, originating from different cultures and nations, to join local union activities.
Therefore, The Federation of Building, Construction and Wood-workers Union (the BAT-cartel) has opened a ‘House of Unions’ at the construction site. The purpose is to co-operate in organising employees and negotiating with the owner Femern A/S, the large contractor consortia Femern Belt Contractors (FBC) and Femern Link Contractors (FLC) as well as several sub-suppliers.
About the BAT-cartel
The unions include:
/ United Federation of Danish Workers (3F)
/ Danish Painters’ Union (Malerforbundet)
/ Union of Plumbers and Allied Workers (Blik- og Rørarbejderforbundet)
/ Danish Union of Electricians (Dansk El-Forbund)
/ Danish Metal Workers’ Union (Dansk Metal)
/ The Union of Commercial and Clerical Employees in Denmark (HK)
/ Association of Professional Technicians (Teknisk Landsforbund)
BAT-cartel represents approximately 90,000 workers in the building and construction sectors, who are all members of these unions.
Up to 15 different nationalities
Niclas Rasmussens key task is to represent the interests of the office staff at the construction site. He is also responsible for facilitating a weekly coordination meeting between the 7 BAT-cartel unions.
Union work has many aspects – such as ensuring good housing and leisure facilities, entering collective agreements, taking security and safety measures, organising employees, assisting trade union and working environment representatives, ensuring a positive learning environment for trainees as well as entering local agreements on wages, shifts and on-call duty.
Niclas Rasmussen has participated in negotiation meetings with up to 5 different nationalities and member meetings with up to 15 nationalities represented. It is challenging, but also exciting and educational.
- The Danish model is unique, but most of the employees in Rødbyhavn have never heard of it. The first step is to know and understand the Danish model. And every day, this is the focus of our work in the BAT-cartel.
Niclas Rasmussen at his office in Rødbyhavn.
Remarkable results
HK Privat has entered collective agreements with FBC (responsible for the dredging work) and FLC (responsible for constructing the tunnel).
The FLC laboratory technicians, who work in shifts testing concrete mix, have also elected a trade union representative. The office staff are going to elect a new trade union representative in this month.
- It takes co-operation and persistence to achieve results. Traditional union work still plays a key role, but it is necessary to invest time and resources, Niclas Rasmussen says.
So far, the parties have entered agreements on a monthly minimum wage increase of DKK 2,000 for adult trainees – and better holiday conditions. They have also entered local agreements at the individual departments on working hours and compensation for staggered hours, shifts, night work, on-call duty etc.
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Union presence prevents problems
Several surveys of the Danish building industry have documented that migrant workers are under pressure to work faster and at a lower wage than their colleagues.
They are also more likely to fill the most dangerous jobs. Migrant workers carry the heaviest loads and perform the most exhausting work – meaning that they are having A and B teams in the Danish building industry. This kind of discrimination is illegal, but it is often extremely difficult to prove if the migrants are not members of a trade union.
However, Niclas Rasmussen has not yet seen cases like this. He is convinced that the employers are aware of the Danish unions’ presence and that they are observing the working conditions at the construction site.
The Fehmarnbelt tunnel is supposed to open in 2029. The element factory will remain in Rødbyhavn after the opening of the tunnel.
The site from above.