Membership benefits are well known as a tool for trade unions to recruit members and to keep them organised. The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) has, unlike the other confederations in Norway, established local committees in every region (fylkesvise LOfavørkomiteer) in order to inform and to train trade union representatives at the local level on the different benefits. The committees consist of representatives from the trade unions in the region, representatives from LO’s regional office as well as employees from the main provider of benefits (the local Sparebank1).
This report focuses on the committees. What are their main task and their activity level? How do they cooperate inside the committee and with the local trade unions as well as the national level? In addition to training and information, the committees are also responsible for initiating local debates on the different benefits. Do the benefits comply with LO’s fundamental values? Do the local committees take on this task?
Two different surveys have been conducted by mail: one among all the members in all of the committees and one among local trade union representatives, the latter by using the participants at the regional LO conferences in spring 2018. In addition, we have conducted qualitative interviews in five selected committees.
LOfavør has financed the report.
