Denmark: LO can’t stop its ‘member hemorrhage’

Last year, LO lost 34,000 members, bringing the number of dues-paying members down to 954,653 in 2009. the member hemorrhage affecting the union since 1996 (when it accounted for 1,331,917 members) doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop any time soon, in spite of initiatives to stamp it out (see our dispatch No. 080417). The worst-off federation is 3F (less than 16,000 members among low-skilled workers), the drop affects all LO unions, from HK (Handels- og Kontorfunktionærernes Forbund – the national union of commercial and clerical employees) to Dansk Metal (metalworkers’ union) to TIB (Træ-Industri-Byg – construction). On the contrary, Denmark’s other two key unions, FTF (Funktionærernes og Tjenestemændenes Fællesrad - confederation of salaried employees and civil servants) and AC (Akademikernes Centralorganisation – Danish confederation of professional associations), have added members.
Enjoy this article for free while you’re in your trial period
You have access to our content for 1 month.

– og Kontorfunktionærernes Forbund – the national union of commercial and clerical employees) to Dansk Metal (metalworkers’ union) to TIB (Træ-Industri-Byg – construction). On the contrary, Denmark’s other two key unions, FTF (Funktionærernes og Tjenestemændenes Fællesrad – confederation of salaried employees and civil servants) and AC (Akademikernes Centralorganisation – Danish confederation of professional associations), have added members.

Reasons for disaffection. Professor Henning Jørgensen

Do you have information to share with us?
What you absolutely must read this week
The essential content of the week selected by the editorial team.
See all
Netherlands: Uber fined over 800 million euros for automated algorithmic decisions
The news. In a decision dated 17 August, the Dutch Data Protection Authority fined ride-hailing company Uber €825 million for automating decisions regarding driver account deactivations. The...
Portugal: open consultation on the transposition of the Pay Transparency Directive
The news. On 5 August 2026, the Portuguese government published a document proposing a draft text to transpose the EU Pay Transparency Directive as the basis for a public consultation open until...
EU: the Commission will set up an Expert Group on the impact of AI in the world of work
The news. On 22 July 2026, the European Commission published a progress report on the EU-27’s achievements regarding the objectives of the European Pillar of Social Rights, reinforced by the...
Belgium: toward an additional five days of leave following the birth of a child
The news. On 18 July, the Belgian federal government approved a draft bill introducing an additional five days of leave following the birth of a child. This entitlement would be added to existing...