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Time-off and other resources
Trade union representatives typically will have paid time off for their duties and will also be entitled to paid leave to take part in union-organised courses. The details depend on the specific collective agreement for the industry. Since 2007 several collective agreements, including the agreement for manufacturing industry, which covers a large number of employees, have provided that newly elected trade union representatives are entitled to four days’ paid time off for training. The training itself in normally financed by a fund set up by both sides.
Employee members of the cooperation committee are entitled to paid time off to attend the meetings. In addition the deputy chair, the senior employee representative, is entitled to time off to carry out the tasks linked with the cooperation committee. Office facilities may also be provided to the deputy chair, where these are necessary.
The cooperation committee can call in outside experts, although these will normally be agreed by both sides. Where this is not possible, the national joint union/employer body, the Cooperation Board, can be involved to attempt to solve the problem.
Representation at group level
In larger groups the trade union representatives from different workplaces will frequently1 come together in a joint committee, or meet more informally.
For cooperation committees the structure recommended in the LO-DA agreement, is that a group committee should be set up, composed of representatives from the subsidiaries' cooperation committees.
