Denmark: Industrial relations

Updating author: Lise Lauridsen, Bech-Bruun
Original author: Yvonne Frederiksen, Norrbom Vinding

See the legal services provided by the authors of International > Denmark, including any discounts/offers for subscribers.

Summary

• Freedom of association is guaranteed by the Constitution and employees are entitled to form and join trade unions. (See Trade unions)
• Collective employment relations are subject to very little statutory regulation and rules and procedures are laid down in "general" agreements between trade union confederations and central employers' organisations. (See Collective bargaining and agreements)
• Undertakings with 35 or more employees must provide information on circumstances of substantial importance to employees, including the undertaking's economic situation and future prospects. (See Informing and consulting employees - general)
• An employer planning collective redundancies must, as soon as possible, enter into consultation with the employees' elected representatives with a view to reaching an agreement on ways of avoiding or reducing the number of redundancies. (See Informing and consulting prior to redundancies)
• In the event of a planned business transfer, both the transferor and transferee must provide employee representatives with certain information. (See Informing and consulting prior to transfers)
• "Community-scale" undertakings must, in certain circumstances, establish a body to negotiate with management over the establishment of a European Works Council or an information and consultation procedure. (See European Works Councils)
• Rules on industrial action are mainly based on case law, supplemented by general agreements and by collective agreements, rather than being based on legislation. (See Industrial action)
• Employees in joint-stock and limited-liability companies with 35 or more employees are entitled to elect one third of the members of the board of directors, with a minimum of two directors elected by the workforce. (See Board-level employee representation)