FOA - trade union (fagforening) and unemployment insurance fund (a-kasse)

There are many good reasons for becoming a member, both during and after your training. And of course, the more of us there are in FOA, the greater are the opportunities for improving conditions for everyone.

Here is why you should become a member of FOA:

• Only FOA can negotiate your salary and ensure that your training and working conditions are developed and improved.

• FOA helps you to receive a good training and trainee period, so you avoid unfair work demands, unsatisfactory trainee supervision or uncertainty over rules. 

• FOA ensures you have proper working conditions and everyday security. So you always have professional backing that you can trust and go to for support.  

• FOA provides a professional network where you can meet others and share your specialist knowledge, questions and experience. In some branches there are also local trainee clubs.

•  FOA is the third largest trade union in Denmark, organizing approximately 172,000 members primarily in the public sectors. But we also organize privatized employees in the public sector.

Our members are engaged in a variety of public sector services, from fire, public transport and childcare, to nursing and caring services for the elderly, including food preparation and cleaning work.

Our members work country-wide for local authorities, counties and the state.

FOA consists of a large number of regional branches in addition to the head office in Copenhagen.

The price depends upon whether you choose to

• be a member of the union (in Danish: fagforening),

• join the Unemployment Insurance Fund (in Danish: a-kasse) and/or whether you pay to an early-retirement scheme (in Danish: efterlønsordningen).

• or whether you are in job training/studying.

If you want to know more or join as a member, you can call 80 20 20 30. The call is free of charge.

FOA is a trade union with 172,000 members and 32 branches around the country.

Our members include:

• Social and health care workers

• Social and health care assistants

• Day care workers

• Cleaning staff

• Kindergarten assistants

• Nursery school assistants 

FOA is divided into four sectors:

• Social and Health

  This sector consists primarily from the following professional and vocational groups:

  • Handicap and home helpers
  • Head orderlies/hospital porters, hospital functionaries at county hospitals and institutions
  • Hospital orderlies/porters
  • Hospital workshop foremen and assistents
  • Management and middle management in public eldercare
  • Neurophysiology aides
  • Nursing home aides
  • Nurses aides
  • Occupational Therapist aides
  • Psychiatric nursing aides
  • Social and health service aides
  • Social and health service helpers
  • Supervisory assistants
• Childcare / Education

  This sector consists primarily of the following professional groups:

  • Childcare/Childcare Education consultants
  • Daycare Assistants
  • Daycare Placement Officers
  • Daycare Teachers supervising and advising Childminders
  • Playground staff
  • Professional carers
  • Qualified Daycare Teachers and daycare management staff in Copenhagen County-run daycare centres
  • Registered Childminders and Home Childminders
  • Staff at daycare and residential care facilities
• Catering and Cleaning

  This sector consists mainly of the following professional groups:

  • Assistant supervisors
  • Attendants at public conveniences
  • Cafeteria/canteen managers
  • Kitchen and scullery workers
  • Staff at publicly owned high schools and private institutions
  • Various types of cleaning personnel at various public institutions, including nursing homes and hospitals
  • Young people employed as domestic helpers
• Technical and Maintenance

  This sector consists primarily of the following professional and vocational groups:

  • Bus drivers for county-run or county-supervised bus services in certain counties
  • City school attendants, custodians/janitors
  • County attendants, custodians/caretakers/janitors at homes for the elderly
  • County school attendants, assistant attendants, deputy attendants
  • County roadmenders, bridge personnel, bridgemasters, machine operators, stream/creek caretakers
  • Ferry personnel, harbour attendants, shipmasters
  • Fire service staff
  • Inspectors at Copenhagen County athletic facilities
  • Messengers at town and city halls, county seats, hospitals and larger public institutions
  • Supervisory and management staff at county-owned facilities
  • Various skilled and unskilled wage earners, such as skilled craftsmen and tradesmen at publicly run institutions, especially in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg Counties, meter readers, parking attendants
  • Various technical service and workers and supervisors at publicly owned bathing and athletic facilities, nursing home custodians/janitors, town and city hall and library attendants, library bus drivers

Den Nordiske Offentlige Faglige Samarbejdsorganisation - NOFS

(the Nordic Public Services Cooperative Organisation). By its membership in NOFS, FOA is a member of:

Public Services International (PSI)

Known as ISKA in the Nordic countries - the international organization of employees in local and state government. Its objective is to promote cooperation between public employees in international bodies and safeguard their interests.

Public Services International (PSI)

The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)

This organization represents over 9 million public employees in 48 trade unions in Europe, and is at the same time a section of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).

The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU)

Nordic Municipal Workers' Federation (KNS)

The Nordic organization for cooperation between employees in local government. The municipal workers' unions in Finland, Sweden and Norway are also members of KNS.