Representatives from Union in Nordea recently participated in the biannual Executive Forum of the Nordic Financial Unions (NFU) in Stockholm. The forum this time focused on challenges from the EU system and the Baltic Sea area work in NFU. The structure of the union systems, activities in the countries and recruiting members to the union were lively debated.

– Obviously, our approach to unions in the Baltic countries and Poland is very positive. We believe that being organised in a union provides security and a much higher level of involvement for the employees. Through Union in Nordea, union members of Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Poland influence decisions made in Nordea across borders. Non-members do not have a similar option, member of Nordea Union Board, Søren Kobbernagel explains.

The unions focus on ensuring decent working conditions by securing the employees of the Baltic countries and Poland local involvement, too. The more members the unions recruit, the more management tends to listen to the union representatives. To increase the number of union members in the Baltic Sea area, it was suggested that NFU consider supporting union representatives at company level financially. This would give the shop stewards the necessary time to recruit members.

– Union in Nordea has been cooperating across borders and working on recruiting in e.g. Poland for years already. Therefore, we share our experiences with other NFU member organisations. It is important that we share knowledge and help each other in order to raise the bar and become even more professional in our approach. Union members in general will benefit from strong and united unions, Søren Kobbernagel states.
Executive Forum provided the participants with a clearer picture of the common interests, differences and similarities of the unions. They agreed that coordinated efforts are needed in order to support a successful Baltic Sea area work in NFU.

Charlotte Ahlburg Andersen, Kreds Nordea