The unions and the employers' organizations are currently negotiating new collective agreements for the private sector in Denmark. Better conditions for migrant workers is one of the major themes of these negotiations. In 3F BJMF, we have also put the conditions of migrant workers at the top of the agenda, and we are, among other things, fighting for a big addition to the minimum wage.
Big addition to the minimum wage
Danish construction workers always managed to make a local agreement with their employers, on a much higher salary than the minimum rates in the collective agreements. It is, for example, quite normal for Danish steel fixer to earn DKK 226 / hour even though the minimum wage is only DKK 126 / hour.
Only few of the migrant workers are members of the trade union, and so they do not have the strength to negotiate a high wage locally. Therefore, migrant workers usually don’t get much more than the collective bargaining minimum wage. The trade union movement wants to raise migrant workers' wages and therefore we demand a big addition to the minimum wage.
Nationwide labor conflict
The employers of Danish Construction and 3F have so far not been able to agree on a large supplement to the minimum wage. That is why the negotiations have broken down. The negotiations from 3F and Dansk Byggeri now meet with a special adviser, called Forligsmanden. If the negotiations failed to get back on track, the conflict will erupt. It can happen around April 1st. During the conflict, all construction sites in Denmark will close and you will not be able to work.
The union members who participate in the fight receive strike support during the labor struggle. You must be a member of the union by February 1st if you are to have conflict support during the labor conflict. During the labor conflict, all 3F-BJMF members of the union meet every day and plan today's actions and demonstrations.