Nordic Union Collaboration In Bergen
27. May 2025Bergen at Its Best as Nordic Union Collaboration Marks Over a Century of Solidarity
It is safe to say that Bergen was at its most beautiful during the annual meeting of NHK—the Nordic Cooperation Committee of Commerce Sector Unions—which took place from May 20 to 22. Notably, this collaborative body has a history that stretches back more than a century, with the first cooperation committee established in 1918. In fact, it was this collaboration that laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Commercial Federation of Iceland (LÍV), since the NHK’s predecessor admitted national federations rather than individual unions. LÍV has been part of this cooperative effort since 1960.
This year, LÍV was represented at the NHK annual meeting by Eiður Stefánsson, Chairman of LÍV; Anna Á Halldórsdóttir, a board member of LÍV; and Sigmundur Halldórsson, LÍV’s international secretary.
Strong Foundations, Financial Stability
The cooperation has always been strong and is built on a solid foundation—so solid, in fact, that the decision was made to suspend membership fees for the next two operating years. In addition to strengthening ties among commerce sector union leadership across the Nordic countries, NHK also supports collaboration on vocational education, European Works Councils (EWC), training programs for young people in unions, and participation in international institutions such as UNI Europa and in tripartite negotiations between the EU, UNI Europa, and EuroCommerce.
Through this collaboration, commerce sector unions in the Nordic region have secured a powerful voice on the global stage, aligning on shared interests. In Iceland, the cooperation has deepened our understanding of labor markets in neighboring countries, enabled access to information on lockouts, facilitated legal meetings on the so-called “Lufthansa ruling,” and fostered close collaboration with our sister unions on issues like insecure employment contracts, automation, and artificial intelligence.
A Global Perspective from UNI Global Union
A special guest at the annual meeting was Michael Bolton, head of the commerce sector of UNI Global Union, who stated that from UNI’s perspective, no unions have contributed more to international cooperation than those in the Nordic region. He highlighted the Bangladesh Accord as a prime example of their impact—driven initially by pressure from Swedish commerce unions on H&M. This landmark agreement dramatically transformed working conditions in Bangladesh, and now includes 220 signatories.
Bolton also emphasized the need for global labor organizations to reassess their roles, with the Nordic countries playing a key role in that process. With the world’s largest corporations now targeting international institutions to erode fundamental labor rights, collective action is essential.
New Political Winds in the EU
The meeting also underscored shifting political dynamics in the EU. Right-wing parties with little interest in supporting labor unions have gained a majority in both the Council and Parliament. Alongside the main conclusions of Mario Draghi’s recent report, this political shift is likely to sideline the concept of increased corporate social responsibility. Instead, the focus is expected to shift toward deregulation, reduced oversight, and significantly increased investment—at the same time as pressure mounts to scale back the green economy agenda.
Facing New Challenges Together
In Iceland, we clearly face growing challenges. Increased competition from China, global trade wars, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Palestine are having a direct impact on Icelandic workers. That’s why solidarity and cooperation with labor movements across the Nordic countries are more critical than ever. We are determined to ensure that the Nordic labor market model remains resilient and firmly rooted for generations to come.
NHK representatives and Michael Bolton from UNI Global Union