OK AVISEN Tough negotiations Af Tage Arentoft, vice chairman
Unfortunately, an independently negotiated agreement was not reached for the meat processing industry. Compared to the rest of the food industry, however, slaughterhouse workers will not lose much in the settlement proposal, says vice chairman Tage Arentoft. Unfortunately, an independently negotiated agreement was not reached for the meat processing industry. Compared to the rest of the food industry, however, slaughterhouse workers will not lose much in the settlement proposal, says vice chairman Tage Arentoft. For a long time, it appeared that the negotiations on a new collective agreement for slaughterhouse workers would proceed smoothly. But at the last minute, the employers presented a demand which would deny slaughterhouse workers the same economic framework as the other industrial workers. This blocked the possibility of a reasonable solution and, after 62 hours of negotiations, the conciliator concluded that negotiations between The Food Workers’ Union NNF and The Confederation of Danish Indus-
try had broken down. According to vice chairman of The Food Workers’ Union NNF, Tage Arentoft, Danish Crown’s constant pressure on trade union representatives and employees has not made the task any easier. “Making ultimatums that slaughterhouse workers must be given less favourable conditions than the rest of the industrial sector does not harmonise with the concept of negotiations. We have fought for our members while also demonstrating understanding for the situation the meat processing industry is in. But there is a limit. The rule in negotiations is ‘tit for tat’ and we could not accept an agreement where savings for the company were not compensated with something in return. The Confederation of Danish Industry has played by the rule ‘tit for
OK-AVISEN SPRING 2014 THE FOOD WORKERS’ UNION
nothing’. And so the negotiations came to a halt,” says Tage Arentoft.
The best possible result
Tage Arentoft would have preferred to see members at the slaughterhouses vote on an independently negotiated result. But given that this was not possible, he is satisfied that the settlement proposal gives slaughterhouse workers many of the same improvements as all other industry workers have gained in their collective agreement settlement: “Slaughterhouse workers will receive the same pay increase as the rest of the labour market, and they will also get a range of social elements. It’s not flashy, but we can live with it. Therefore, I recommend that members vote yes to the proposal.”
It might be tempting to reject the proposal in protest against the employers and their unwillingness to negotiate. But I would still recommend that our members vote yes on the settlement proposal. In spite of everything, this ensures that slaughterhouse workers are not left behind on the platform as the train leaves the station. And that is important.” Union Chairman Ole Wehlast Fødevareforbundet NNF