The new collective agreements between CO-industri (the Central Organisation for the Industril Employees) and DI (the Confederation of Danish Industry) will apply from 1 March 2014 to 1 March 2017. 

It will cover approximately 240.000 blue- and whitecollar workers in around 6.000 companies in Denmark.

The main elements of the new agreement concerns education and training, temporary agency workers, maternity- and paternity leave, pension, pay, time-off, extension of the collective bargaining coverage and the increases in collectively bargained wage floor.

Education and training

Seniority requirements for training that is supported by the industrial skills development (IKUF) fund is lowered from 9 months to 6 months.

Employees are allowed an extra week's training in their notice period with support from IKUF. This gives the total potential of five weeks of training in the notice period with support from IKUF.

Immigrant workers can now use the IKUF fund to learn Danish.

Temporary agency workers

The company and employee representatives can ask CO-industri and DI (the confederation of Danish industri) for assistance in local discussions of flexibility , including the use of temporary workers.

In connection with the use of temporary workers , the company's union representative is to be provided with information on the agreements and practices , the company has agreed with the temporary agency.

Maternity and paternity leave

Parental leave with pay extended from 11 weeks to 13 weeks , each parent is entitled to take 5 weeks and the remaining 3 weeks of leave granted to either the one or the other parent.

Parents of the same sex have equal access to parental leave.

The compensation ceiling for paid parental leave is increased from DKK 140 to DKK 145 per day.

Employer contributions to pensions during maternity leave increases from 7 DKK per . hour to 8.50 DKK per hour with effect from 1 July 2014.

Extension of Collective Agreement Coverage

In the agreement for white-collat workers (salaried employees) the coverage area of is extended to cover additional professional bachelor and diploma courses in technical fields.

System of optional pay, pension or time off

The employers contribution to the system of optional pay, pension or time off is increased to 1.3 per cent 1st March 2014, to 1.7 per cent 1st March 2015 and to 2.0 per cent 1st March 2016.

Collectively bargained wage floor

The wage floor, which today is 108.70 DKK per hour, is increased 1st March 2014 with 1.50 DKK, per st1 March 2015 with 1.65 DKK and per 1st March 2016 with 1.80 DKK. It is estimated that less than one percent of the employees in the industrial sector is paid the level of the wage floor, the remaining 99% is paid more than the wage floor. The salary increases for the 99%, who are above the wage floor is bargained locally by the local shop stewards in the individual companies.

Salary for apprentices

The salaries for apprentices are increased 1,9 per cent each year.

Pension

Holiday bonus is to be included in the calculation of the pension.