Norwegian and Nordic trade union support and solidarity for trade unions in eastern and central Europe
| Published date | 01 December 2005 |
| Pages | 592-602 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/01425450510626126 |
| Date | 01 December 2005 |
| Author | Finn Erik Thoresen |
| Subject Matter | HR & organizational behaviour |
ER
27,6
592
Employee Relations
Vol. 27 No. 6, 2005
pp. 592-602
#Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0142-5455
DOI 10.1108/01425450510626126
Norwegian and Nordic trade
union support and solidarity for
trade unions in eastern and
central Europe
Finn Erik Thoresen
2nd Vice-President, The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions
(‘‘LO-Norway’’), Oslo, Norway
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to provide a Norwegian perspective of how trade unions in the former
Soviet block countries have dealt with the challenges of the post-communist period and how the
European trade union movement has attempted to assist them as they have adjusted to representing
and protecting the interests of workers in a market economy.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper considers the point that the experiences of trade
union development in the former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe should not be
assumed to have followed some monolithic pattern.
Findings – Each of the individual states experienced challenges that were unique to them and which
reflected the economic, geographical and social situation they found themselves in when they took the
‘‘leap in the dark’’ at the end of the 1990s. The speed at which they made the transition to a market
economy was also quite diverse with some countries such a Czech Republic and Hungary making
progress quickly whilst others, for understandable reasons, were muc h slower off the mark.
Research limitations/implications – One of the main thrusts of this paper is the diversity of
experience amongst the former Soviet block countries both prior to and after the 1989 changes. The
paper invites researchers to explore this diversity further in terms of causality and the impact of this
diversity on the democratisation process of Central and Eastern European Countries.
Originality/value – Provides a timely reminder of the dangers of perceiving trade unions in the
former communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe as replicas of their counterparts in the
West. The picture he paints of the diversity of the region, the weakness of national trade union
headquarters starved of funds to pursue industrial objectives by local trade union organisations who
have a ‘‘holiday club’’ mentality and retain the bulk of the income for social and welfare benefits
reminds us of the extreme difficulties that face trade unions in CEE countries as the strive to build
strong and effective organisations capable of challenging multinational conglomerates.
Keywords Trade unions, Norway, Industrial relations, Employee relations,
International cooperation
Paper type Case study
1. Introduction
After the comprehensive political upheavals around 1990, the Norwegian
Confederation of Trade Unions (LO-Norway) initiated varied project cooperation with
trade union organisations in Central and Eastern Europe in 1992. The p olitical change
made the cooperation possible, and the Norwegian Parliament allocated funds to this
cooperation through the Programme of Action for Easter n Europe. This was the
Norwegian authorities’ chief instrument to stimulate a long-ter m cooperation with
North-western Russia, the Baltic and Central Europe. The Norwegian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs were to follow up the allocations, and asked LO to coordinate the
resources from the programme ear marked trade union activities. The Ministry needed
assistance from the Norwegian and the international trade union movement, since it
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