Why you should join a trade union - Fellesforbundet

Leisure accident insurance (covers accidents thatoccur during your spare time, including medicaland dental costs, as well as treatment and staysat private hospitals and clinics by pre-agreementwith the insurance company).Basic insurance (covers you, spouses/partnersand resident unmarried children below the ageof 21 upon death regardless of the reason andanywhere in the world).Membership gives you Norway’s best house andcontents insurance and discounts on insurances,travel, power, car repairs, etc. through LO favor.For more information call +47 815 32 600 or goto www.lofavor.no.Watch out!As a foreign worker, the likelihood of you beingcheated by your employer is unfortunately high.Fellesforbundet has helped thousands of foreignmembers claim back unpaid wages, and helpedwith accident compensation and tax-related matters.We have extensive experience of the mostcommon problems you are likely to encounter,and our website provides answers to a wide rangeof questions:- Am I entitled to the same pay as those employedby the company I have been contracted to?- What should I do if I have an accident at work.Am I entitled to compensation?- How do I claim wages and holiday pay if theemployer has not paid me?- What documentation do I need to claim paymentfrom the employer?- Can I claim wages and holiday pay from the employer’scontractor, if the employer has not paid me?- What happens if I work illegally?- Why should I be careful when registering as selfemployed?- How many hours can I work, and when are youentitled to overtime pay?You can also join Fellesforbundet from our website.Why you shouldjoin a trade union– important information if youwork in NorwayIn Norway over half of all employeesbelong to a trade union. Why?By belonging to a trade union workers in Norwayhave achievedCountries with weak trade unions also have weakemployees. Joining a trade union gives the individualworker security, and contributes to a saferand better working life for everyone else.We know from experience that foreign workershave a higher risk of work-related accidents, andof not receiving the pay they are entitled to. As aforeign worker you need a trade union – and weneed you!union, for both your and your fellow workers’for as a foreign worker in Norway.www.fellesforbundet.no/In-English/Engelsk

What is a trade union?A trade union is a confederation of workers fromthe same trade, profession or industry, who havejoined forces to promote their interests to the employers.In companies where the workers are part(regulated in a so-called collective agreement),and can elect representatives to represent them andto negotiate with the company on their behalf. Thetrade union provides support when required.Who can join a trade union?Anyone working in Norway can be a member,whether employed in a Norwegian or foreigncompany, and whether they are Norwegian orforeign citizens. Fellesforbundet (Norwegian UnitedConfederation of Trade Unions) has thousands ofmembers from countries other than Norway.How is a trade union organised?Trade unions are democratic organisations run bypeople who have been elected by their members.Trade unions in Norway are organised into differentconfederations. One of these is Fellesforbundet(Norwegian United Federation of Trade Unions).We organise people working in construction,industry, farming, hotels, restaurants and a numberof other areas.Fellesforbundet is a member of LO (the NorwegianConfederation of Trade Unions), which is Norway’sbiggest confederation of trade unions. They havea total of approx. 900 000 members, and around65 000 local shop stewards in companies, whichhave been elected by the workers themselves.The unions and LO negotiate with the employerorganisations on pay, working conditions, holidayand other terms. Some of the terms later becomelegal requirement. Union members therefore havea great responsibility to shape how working life inNorway will be, also for non-members.Workplacebranch.MemberLO(22 associations)FellesforbundetLocal tradeunionWorkplacebranch.Workplacebranch.What is a collective agreement?A collective agreement is an agreement between theemployees’ and employers’ organisations. In Norway,collective agreements are national. A collectiveagreement entitles you to better terms than the industrystandard for e.g. pay for public holidays, right tomore holiday and holiday pay, more overtime payand better pension schemes. An agreement also providesgreater freedom to agree working hours that aremore suitable for long distance commuters than thosedictated by law. Here are some of the differences:What type of salary are you entitled to?In some industries the minimum provisions of thecollective agreement have been made generallyapplicable, i.e. become legal requirement. The agreedminimum wage applies to everyone working in theindustry, whether they are members of a union or not,and whether nationals or foreign.When the trade union negotiates towards higher pay,the legal minimum wage also increases. In 2010,AreaPayNon-members without collective agreement(only Norwegian law applies)No rules20,000 Norwegians, Lithuanians and Polish constructionworkers went on strike to increase the minimumwage, which rose from 133 to 149 kroner perhour. It later increased even further.web site www.fellesforbundet.no/In-English/Trade unions are not solicitors!Trade unions are not set up in order to make money,but to support members when required. The peoplewho work in the unions are workers themselves,elected by their colleagues to represent them.You cannot buy insurance once your house has burneddown. Equally, you cannot expect a trade union to assistWhen you join a trade union you become part of a will help you. If you are fortunate enough to avoidproblems, you will be helping to ensure that thoseMembers of a companywith a collective agreementAgreed salary terms – including minimumwage. Right to annual local negotiations.Working hours 9 hours per day/ 40 hours per week 7.5 hours per day/ 37.5 hours per weekExtra pay for week-ends and nights No extra pay Agreed extra payPublic holiday pay Only 1 and 17 May are paid All public holidays are paid Terms of the Company Act and Working Environment Act Agreements and terms for membersUnfair dismissal No help, you have to get your own solicitor Holiday 4 weeks and 1 day, 10.2% holiday pay 5 weeks, 12 % holiday payTrainingNo supportSupport from fund. Own training organisation.Union organises courses and conferenceswho do need help get it. This is solidarity: It worksfor us as individuals, and for all of us together.What does it cost to be a member?The fee for Fellesforbundet (Norwegian UnitedFederation of Trade Unions) is between 1.5 and2.2 percent of gross salary, depending on whichlocal trade union you belong to. In reality you payslightly less as part of the fee is tax deductible.Membership includes a number of insurance andAs a member, the most important insurance youhave is the help you get if you have problems atwork. You also have a number of other insurances.All these apply during your stay in Norway (butnot in your home country if outside the Nordics).damage, break-ins and bicycle theft).