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). 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). 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 did not have a higher education, but rather 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 included pharmaconomists, journalists, medical laboratory scientists, teachers, bank employees, physical therapists, businesspersons, actors, dental hygienists, police officers, podiatrists, engineers, nurses, stage directors, social workers, and radiographers.
Affiliates Union Abbreviation Membership (2018)Members as of 31 December 2018, the day before the confederation was established. 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 BUPL 55,480 Cabin Union Denmark 1,193 Central Association of Armed Forces Personnel CS 8,286 CO10 Musicians' Group Not recorded Danish Actors' Association DSF 1,964 Danish Association of Pharmaconomists FF 4,541 Danish Association of Social Workers 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 Danish Musicians' Union DMF 4,883 Danish Nurses' Organization DSR 62,770 Danish Orthopaedic Engineers' Association 41 Danish Physiotherapists Danish Podiatrists 1,632 Danish Police Federation 11,815 Danish Psychomotor Therapists DAP 948 Danish Radio Media Association MDR 228 Danish Sextons' Association 570 Danish Union of Teachers DLF 58,179 Diet and Nutrition Association KOST 8,230 DSL DSL 593 Education Association 9,187 FAF FAF 922 Finance Federation 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 Insurance Association 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 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 FTF's official website (in Danish) FTF's official website (in English)
References