FTF – Confederation of Professionals in Denmark explained

FTF
Location Country:Denmark
Affiliation:ITUC, ETUC, TUAC, NFS
Members:450,000 (2009)
Full Name:FTF – Confederation of Professionals in Denmark
Native Name:Funktionærernes og Tjenestemændenes Fællesråd
Founded:1952
Dissolved:31 December 2018
Merged:Danish Trade Union Confederation
Headquarters:Copenhagen, Denmark
Key People:Bente Sorgenfrey (President))

FTF – Confederation of Professionals in Denmark (Danish: FTF) was founded in 1952 and was one of the three national trade union centers, with about 80 Danish trade unions affiliated.

History

The FTF was founded in 1952. At the time, the major Danish trade union centre was the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), which was affiliated to the Social Democratic Party. Many clerical unions objected to this affiliation, and founded the FTF as an unaffiliated rival. Over time, fierce rivalry with the LO turned to co-operation, and the federation also worked with the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations (AC).[1] By 2009, the FTF had a membership of 450,000.

From 2015, FTF engaged in negotiations with LO about a potential merger. This occurred on 1 January 2019, and the LO became part of the new Danish Trade Union Confederation (FH).[2] However, the federation's largest affiliate, the Finance Federation, along with the Danish Physiotherapists, and the Association of Designers, voted against joining FH, and instead became independent.

The FTF was affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and the Council of Nordic Trade Unions (NFS).

Membership

Members of the 86 trade unions of the FTF were typically employees with a higher education and an academic degree (e.g. a bachelor's degree or a master's degree) or a first professional degree. Some members didn't have a higher education but a vocational education ("white-collar workers"). A typical FTF-member occupies a middle or upper middle position in society as regards salary and pension benefits. Many FTF-members were leaders.

FTF-members were e.g. pharmaconomists, journalists, medical laboratory scientists, teachers, bank employees, physical therapists, businesspersons, actors, dental hygienists, police officers, podiatrists, engineers, nurses, stage directors, social workers, radiographers etc.

Affiliates

Union Abbreviation Membership (2018)[3]
Association of Court Employees 46
Association of Danish Cemetery Managers FDK 135
Association of Danish Chairpersons Not recorded
Association of Danish Inseminators 173
Association of Designers
Association of Map and Surveying Technicians KLF 664
Association of Musicians in the Armed Forces DMF 70
Association of Parliamentary Servants 87
Association of Technical and Administrative Officials TAT 536
Association of the Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra 100
Aviation and Railway Trade Federation Not recorded
BUPL 55,480
Cabin Union Denmark 1,193
CS 8,286
CO10 Musicians' Group Not recorded
DSF 1,964
FF 4,541
DS 13,913
Danish Bioanalysts Not recorded
Danish Chamber Orchestra Union 47
Danish Choir Association 62
Danish Choral Association 570
Danish Church Music Association 271
Danish Customs and Tax Association DTS 2,592
Danish Dental Hygienists 1,828
Danish Forest and Landscape Engineers' Association Not recorded
DMF 4,883
DSR 62,770
Danish Orthopaedic Engineers' Association 41
Danish Physiotherapists
Danish Podiatrists 1,632
11,815
Danish Psychomotor Therapists DAP 948
Danish Radio Media Association MDR 228
Danish Sextons' Association 570
DLF 58,179
KOST 8,230
DSL DSL 593
9,187
FAF FAF 922
Frederiksberg Municipal Association FKF 441
Free Schools' Teachers' Association FSL 10,000
Gentofte Municipal Association GKF 392
Greenland Organisation for Public Employees AK Not recorded
HI HI 432
7,839
JID JID 1,208
Kirkekultur.nu Not recorded
KL Staff Association 118
Midwives' Association 2,655
National Orchestra Musicians' Joint Council 325
Occupational Therapy Association 8,802
Organists' Association 581
Prisons Association FFT 227
PROSA 10,720
Public Emergency Preparedness Association DOBL 321
Radiographers' Council Radiograf 2,042
Radio Telegraphists' Association of 1917 Not recorded
SAFU SAFU 914
Traffic League TRF 610
Tourist Guides' Association 251
Viften 95

Presidents

1970: Jens Christensen

1977: Kirsten Stallknecht

1984: Martin Rømer

1988: Anker Christoffersen

2003: Bente Sorgenfrey

External links

References

  1. News: Redder . Gitte . Efter 66 år på arbejdsmarkedet: Farvel til FTF . 25 February 2020 . Avisen . 14 November 2018.
  2. News: Prelsler . Marle . Danish trade union movement gathers the troops . 31 January 2020 . Nordic Labour Journal . 11 February 2019.
  3. Members as of 31 December 2018, the day before the confederation was established. Web site: Members per 31.12 by sex, member of organisation and time . Statistics Denmark . 3 February 2020.