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Per Karlberg (left) and Bertel Finskas
The Nordea SE project has now been underway for two years and has given personnel representatives in the 11 countries concerned more detailed and extensive knowledge on employee influence.
"The feeling of inclusiveness has grown considerably, not least among the participants from the non-Nordic countries," says the project co-ordinator, Per Karlberg of the Confederation of the Nordic Bank, Finance and Insurance Trade Unions (NFU).
The NFU is in charge of the administration of the project, which is mainly funded by grants from the EU.
Bertel Finskas, who chairs the Nordea Union Board, is also pleased with what has been achieved so far.
"It has exceeded our expectations," he says. "Thanks to the EU funding we have been able to do things that we would never have been able to do otherwise. It is positive that we have succeeded in forming networks in the non-Nordic countries too".
The aim of the project is to support the possibility of the personnel to exert influence over what goes on at the company when Nordea is converted into a European company, Nordea SE. This process has temporarily stalled, mainly due to uncertainties about the regulations governing deposit guarantees.
"What we are waiting for now is for the actual negotiations on the formation of Nordea SE to get off the ground. A number of question marks remain, but this is what we have been preparing for in the project," says Bertel Finskas.
Despite this, Per Karlberg hopes that it will be possible to continue the project and the NFU is now applying for funds for a third project year.
In the four Nordic countries, the trade unions at Nordea have been able to co-operate effectively with the employer for a long time, and there is a well-developed system for consultations and negotiations. This is not the case in the other European countries where Nordea has operations. The project, however, has helped to start a move towards a greater degree of employee influence in these countries too.
"The project has enabled us to spread knowledge about various systems for exerting influence and to increase peoples' understanding of them. This has led to a desire to establish such systems in other countries," says Per Karlberg, who is nevertheless disappointed that more has not been achieved.
"I had hoped that there would be works councils by now, or some other form of associations for the personnel, at least in the Baltic countries. Before the personnel there can become members of the Nordea Union they must have democratically elected representatives."
The third and final phase of the project will therefore focus on this. Providing that funding for the project is granted, representatives of the Nordea Union will make a new tour of the non-Nordic countries during the autumn. The idea is to support the formation of independent personnel associations and thus to pave the way for membership of the Nordea Union.
"The time is now right for this. Representatives from all the countries have shown an interest in becoming part of a transnational system for exerting influence, even though they may not intend to form their own trade unions," says Per Karlberg.
There are plans to hold a seminar in Riga at the end of 2006. This will provide an opportunity to check the progress of the process in each of the countries. There are also plans to arrange a seminar in the spring to teach the participants more about the EU's agenda with regard to employee influence and the finance market.
Irrespective of whether the application for funds for a third year is accepted or rejected, however, Bertel Finskas believes that the project has been of great value.
"The trend towards the Europeanisation and globalisation of the sector is continuing and will also affect the work of the trade unions. In this project we have laid solid foundations on which we can stand to face the challenges of the future," he says.
Per Karlberg adds that as far as the NFU is concerned, this project, which has focused on just one particular Group, has provided knowledge that is now of interest to other Groups, for example Swedbank, If and Codan.
Bengt Rolfer
The Nordea SE project has comprised the following activities so far:
- Autumn 2004: A delegation from the Nordea Union Board (NUB) toured the Nordea countries to inform the personnel.
- 29 November – 1 December 2004: A training seminar was held at Kobaek Strand in Denmark.
- 4 - 6 April 2005: A follow-up seminar was held in Aulanko in Finland.
- 1 - 2 June 2005: The "historical” Nordea Union was formed at the Annual General Meeting in Kobaek Strand. The statutes that were adopted make it possible for trade unions from countries outside the Nordic region to join.
- 17 – 19 January 2006: Training seminar in Spala, Poland.
- 14 – 15 March 2006: A seminar on the project model in Nordea for delegates in the consultative committees was held at Hjortviken outside Gothenburg, Sweden.
- A home page has been produced for the Nordea Union.
- In addition, the NFU has regularly issued a web-based newsletter containing information about the project and interviews with participants from different countries.
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