The United Federation of Trade Unions (Norwegian: Fellesforbundet) is a trade union in Norway. With a membership of 150,000 it is the largest private sector union in Norway.
It is affiliated with the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO). The union organizes mainly members in the iron and metal industry, the shipbuilding industry, graphical sector, car repair workshops, aircraft repair workshops, hotel- and restaurants, the textile industry, the shoe industry, the building trade, the building industry, the paper industry, graphical branches, fish farming, and agriculture and forestry. More than 200 different trades and occupations are covered by the union.
It was established on 8 May 1988 as a merger between the unions Norwegian Union of Clothing Workers (Bekledningsarbeiderforbundet, established 1890), Norwegian Union of Building Industry Workers (Norsk Bygningsindustriarbeiderforbund, established 1923), Norwegian Union of Iron and Metalworkers (Norsk Jern- og Metallarbeiderforbund, established 1891), Norwegian Union of Paper Industry Workers (Norsk Papirindustriarbeiderforbund, established 1913) and the Norwegian Union of Forestry and Land Workers (Norsk Skog- og Landarbeiderforbund, established 1927). The Norwegian Graphical Union (Norsk Grafisk Forbund, established 1882) joined in 2006 and the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union in Norway (Norsk Hotell- og Restaurantarbeiderforbund, established 1932) joined in 2007.
Presidents have been John Stene (1988–1991), Kjell Bjørndalen (1991–2007) and Arve Bakke (2007–present).
Famous quotes containing the words united, federation, trade and/or unions:
“In the larger view the major forces of the depression now lie outside of the United States, and our recuperation has been retarded by the unwarranted degree of fear and apprehension created by these outside forces.”
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964)
“Women realize that we are living in an ungoverned world. At heart we are all pacifists. We should love to talk it over with the war-makers, but they would not understand. Words are so inadequate, and we realize that the hatred must kill itself; so we give our men gladly, unselfishly, proudly, patriotically, since the world chooses to settle its disputes in the old barbarous way.”
—General Federation Of Women’s Clubs (GFWC)
“The last job I had, I had to take it out in trade and this is no butcher shop—not yet, anyhow!”
—Robert Pirosh, U.S. screenwriter, George Seaton, George Oppenheimer, and Sam Wood. Dr. Hugo Z. Hackenbush (Groucho Marx)
“When Hitler attacked the Jews ... I was not a Jew, therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the Catholics, I was not a Catholic, and therefore, I was not concerned. And when Hitler attacked the unions and the industrialists, I was not a member of the unions and I was not concerned. Then, Hitler attacked me and the Protestant church—and there was nobody left to be concerned.”
—Martin Niemller (1892–1984)