A trade union, often simply called a union, is an organization of workers who have come together to achieve many common goals, such as protecting the integrity of their trade, improving safety standards, and attaining better wages, benefits, and working conditions through the increased bargaining power wielded by the creation of a monopoly of the workers. Trade unions typically fund the formal organization, head office, and legal team functions of the trade union through regular fees or union dues. The delegate staff of the trade union representation in the workforce are made up of workplace volunteers who are appointed by members in democratic elections.
The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions is a national trade union center, decidedly the largest and probably the most influential umbrella organization of labour unions in Norway. The 21 national unions affiliated to the LO have almost 900,000 members of a Norwegian population of 5 million. The majority of affiliated unions organizes traditional blue collar workers, but the largest affiliate is the Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees which makes up more than a third of all members. LO is affiliated to the ITUC and the ETUC. Gerd Kristiansen was elected leader on 6 May 2013 for a four-year period.
A national trade union center is a federation or confederation of trade unions in a single country. Nearly every country in the world has a national trade union center, and many have more than one. When there is more than one national center, it is often because of ideological differences—in some cases long-standing historic differences. In some regions, such as the Nordic countries, different centers exist on a sectoral basis, for example for blue collar workers and professionals.
Centre of Indian Trade Unions, CITU is a National level Trade Union in India and its trade union wing is a spearhead of the Indian Trade Union Movement. The Centre of Indian Trade Unions is today one of biggest assembly of workers and classes of India. It has strong unchallangeable presence in the Indian state of Tripura besides a good presence in West Bengal, Kerala and Kanpur. They have an average presence in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh is one of the trade union organization in India. It was founded by Dattopant Thengadi on 23 July 1955.
The Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) is an Australian trade union affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions that represents professional male, female and elite junior soccer players.
The International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR) is "an organizing and campaigning body with the fundamental purpose of defending and improving the rights of trade unions and trade unionists throughout the world." ICTUR has accredited status with both the United Nations and the International Labour Organization.
Dieter Schulte is a German trade union leader. He was chairman of the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) from 1994 to 2002.
The South African Agricultural Plantation and Allied Workers Union (SAAPAWU) was a trade union representing agricultural and plantation workers in South Africa.
The Performing Arts Workers' Equity (PAWE) was a small trade union in South Africa. It had a membership of only 365, but was affiliated to the Congress of South African Trade Unions. It merged with the Musicians Union of South Africa (MUSA) to form the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA).
The Musicians Union of South Africa (MUSA) was a South African trade union. It had a membership of 700 and was affiliated with the Congress of South African Trade Unions. It merged with Performing Arts Workers' Equity (PAWE) to form the Creative Workers Union of South Africa (CWUSA).
The General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU) is the sole national trade union center in Syria, it was founded in 1948. By a 1968 decree establishing a single-trade-union system, all trade unions in the country are required to be affiliated to the GFTU, and the GFTU has the power to dissolve the executive committee of any union.
The Tunisian General Labour Union is a national trade union center in Tunisia. It has a membership of more than one million and was founded January 20, 1946.
Trade unions in Albania have had an unstable existence in recent decades, mirroring the regional political turbulance in Albania. Since the 1991 defeat of the Albanian Party of Labour (APL), independent trade unions have asserted themselves, with two main national trade union centres; the United Independent Albanian Trade Unions (BSPSh) and the Confederation of Trade Unions (KSSh).
The Ministry of Labor announced on 19 September 2008 that as of December 2007, 10.8% of workers were in trade unions in South Korea, a 0.5% increase from 10.3% in 2006. Korea's unionization rate peaked in 1989 at 19.8% and fell to 10% 2004.
The South African Trades Union Congress (TUC) was a national trade union federation in South Africa.
The Federation of Non-European Trade Unions was a trade union federation formed in South Africa in 1928.
Die Spoorbond was an Afrikaner railway trade-union formed in 1934 by H. J. Klopper, founder of the Afrikaner Broederbond, which advocated a policy of replacing all black railway-workers with Afrikaners. It rejected strikes and called instead for loyal service to the South African Railways and Harbours Administration (SARHA). The union had a membership of some 16,000 in the 1930s, considerably more than that of its rival, the National Union of Railway and Harbour Servants, which was forced to dissolve in 1937.
Relations between the European Union and Mercosur were established soon after the entry into force of the latter bloc.
Trade unions in Norway first emerged with the efforts of Marcus Thrane and the formation of the Drammen Labour Union in 1848 which organised agricultural workers and crofters. However, with Thrane's imprisonment and the suppression of the union in 1855, it was not until 1872 before a union was founded again, by print workers. In 1899 the first national federation, the LO, was founded. During this period interactions with trade unions in Denmark and Sweden played a great influence over the development of trade unions in Norway.
