How to get help from your union representative and health and safety representative

As an employee, you must have proper working conditions, and therefore you must be able to talk to management about salary, work environment and conflicts.

To ensure that you are not left alone in negotiations with management, in some cases you have elected representatives such as a union representative (Tillidsrepræsentant/TR) or a health and safety representative (Arbejdsmiljørepræsentant/AMR) to look after you and solve work-related challenges. You help choose your representatives, and your representatives have special protection so they can speak freely without putting their jobs at risk.

What does a trade union representative (TR) do?

 Typically, your TR can advise and help you with the following topics:

• Salary and supplement negotiation
• Conflicts in the workplace
• Long-term sick leave
• Dismissal or warnings
• Possibilities for continuing education

In the public sector, the trade union representative has IDA's authority to negotiate pay both on behalf of the individual employee and the entire staff group. If you are employed in the private sector, the trade union representative's authorisation differs from company to company, but the trade union representative will typically be authorised to negotiate salaries on behalf of the staff group.

Who has a union representative?  

There is a difference between the rules if you are employed in the public and private sectors. In public workplaces with a minimum of five employees in the same professional group, you have the right to elect a trade union representative.

If you are employed in the private sector, you only have the right to choose a trade union representative if an agreement has been entered into. If you are employed on a collective agreement, it will contain an agreement on the right to choose a TR. You only have a TR if you or a colleague have applied for the post as the right to a TR is exactly that – a right, not an obligation

Where can I find my TR?

Click the link below to search for trade union representatives in the company where you are employed. The form is only available in Danish for the time being. Select “tillidsvalgte” and search for your company.

Search for committee members and elected representatives

The search shows the committee members/elected representatives who have a public IDA profile.

Your public profile can be changed on Mit IDA

What does a health and safety representative (AMR) do?

The health and safety representative works with management to prevent workplace injuries and ensure a healthy working environment. 

You can get help from the working environment representative with questions about:

• Physical and psychological working environment
• Workplace assessment
•  Stress
•  Occupational injuries
•  Offensive acts

Read about your physical work environment rights

Who has a health and safety representative (AMR)?

Companies with more than 9 employees have a health and safety representative.  

If you are employed in a company with fewer than 10 employees, it may well have an AMR, but in small companies, it is often the management that takes care of the work environment representative's tasks.

Where can I find my health and safety representative?

If you do not know who your occupational health and safety representative is, you can ask your immediate manager or a colleague.

Works councils (VG) and academic clubs (AK): What do they do?

You may not have a TR or AMR. Instead, you may have a works council (Virksomhedsgruppe/VG) or academic club (AK).  

What does a works council (VG) or academic club (AK) do?  

A works council consists exclusively of IDA members, whereas an AK club is an organisation for all kinds of academics in the company. The board of the club is elected by the employees of the workplace.

The Board, like elected representatives, works for better working conditions on behalf of its members, and often supports its members as an intermediary in discussions with management in the event of dismissal, sick leave or warnings. 

Where can I find my works council (VG)/academic club (AK)?  

If you do not know whether your workplace has a VG group or AK club, IDA recommends that you ask your immediate manager or your colleagues.

Learn more about starting a works council or academic club