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Joining a trade union is a form of “collective selfishness”, as you help to ensure that everyone gets better conditions, together. The traditional high share of organised workers in Norway has ensured sickness benefits, eight-hour working day, five-week holiday, reasonable wage level, pension schemes and a number of benefits most people now take for granted, without being aware that it came only with a struggle.
In stark contrast to being part of our collective community, is to seek one’s own happiness as not organized. You then benefit from a well-functioning society that the union has fought for, but without contributing yourself. The price to pay for this self chosen exclusion is to stand without help on the day it is needed and not to have ones voice represented in work society.
Even if you are in the midst of education for “something else” or aiming for a job in another industry later, it is smart to join Fellesforbundet and belong to the Oslo Transport Workers’ Association now. Membership secures your rights and gives you a voice, at the same time as you get a number of benefits that are continued when you eventually transfer your membership to another LO union later in life. There are also several of us who originally planned only for half a year in foodora, but who are still here, several years later…
Therefore. As part of the Foodora Club, you give us the strength to both work for your current job, and to strengthen our entire industry. Many people look to us and our collective agreement when considering the platform companies’ employment schemes. These are changing and we are fighting hard for permanent employment, with security, pension plans and job protection, to curb the abuse of the labor force. We must not return to a society of temporary workers in precarious jobs, where companies are not responsible for those who perform the work tasks!
Member benefits and fee
-The membership fee is 1.78% of gross salary for ordinary members and merely NOK 250 in the half year for student membership. Part of this gives the right to tax deduction.
-You have shop stewards to turn to, who you can consult and seek support in, in case of conflicts in the workplace. If they are unable to solve the case, they seek help in the union until the matter is settled.
-Insurances are included in the member fee: you get the market’s best contents insurance (incl. Bicycle and telephone), leisure damage insurance and basic insurance. Read more about these at www.lofavør.no and cancel insurance policies you already have, which are covered by these.
–AFP (contractual pension) is obtained as an employee in a company with a collective agreement.
-Access to favorable loans in the benefit program in favor of LO
-Opportunity to participate in courses under the auspices of the union
A democratic organization
The Foodora Club is our local club in the Oslo Transport Workers’ Association, which is part of the Fellesforbundet, in LO (Labor Union). Fellesforbundet is the country’s largest private union, with over 160,000 of LO’s total 950,000 members, divided into 25 sub-unions. This is what provides a balance in the relationship between employee and employer in Norway, and which ensures real and effective negotiations between the parties and a stable welfare society that everyone benefits from.
The history of the Foodora Club
Foodora started in Oslo in 2015, exclusively with employed riders. The first attempt at organization dwindled away, but our community grew stronger and we saw the need to stand as a unified counterpart to our management. The union helped us from the very beginning, and the organization gained momentum in 2018. We quickly had 50 members, and started by making a collective agreement specifically for our industry.
Foodora’s then COO delayed negotiations as long as possible, but with the law in hand and the union behind us, we gnawed our way through negotiations and mediation. Time passed, but we did not give up our fair demands for equipment compensation, winter allowance, seniority allowance, information and consultation rights, a functioning shop steward system, etc. All this was lacking at the time. It ended with a legendary five-week strike in the autumn of 2019.
The strike drew international attention, as a pioneer in defending couriers’ rights. We won both media and public and created a “Collective Bargaining Agreement for distribution and courier services in FOODORA 2019-2020”. The manager was replaced and a completely new type of collaboration started between employees and management. This agreement was renegotiated in the autumn of 2021 (six months delayed due to Covid-19).
The shop stewards
The collective agreement sets the framework for what we are entitled to, including the number of shop stewards and their rights. With our number of employees, we can demand 8 shop stewards, and we now have:
Club leader: Espen Utne Landgraff
Deputy Chairman: Paul Olai-Olssen
Secretary: Lee Conaghan
members:
Olga Ershova
Guillaume Malet
Jonas Andersen (treasurer)
Leif Linder (webdesign)
Maciej Solecki
Substitute:
Laurent Besnier
Harpreet Gill
The shop stewards’ working committee has monthly meetings with the management, where matters are raised by both parties. Foodora has a duty to inform about upcoming changes and will listen to the views of the shop stewards. This collaboration has proven constructive. Summary from the meetings are shared with the members as soon as practicable.
Follow link below to join Foodoraklubben, under Oslo Transport Workers’ Association, which is part of the Fellesforbundet, in LO (Labor Union).
In other gig economy companies in Europe, England France and Norway the temptation of choosing the freelance option is powerful. The pay is wildly better, at first. Although riders may not realize the true cost of tax and benefits. The union is mission-focused on securing protected rights and safety of its workers.
Yes. The union memberships will cost a small portion of your paycheck (about 1.8 percent), cheaper if you are a student. It is up to the rider if that is a reasonable fee. Riders can participate by becoming a shop steward. Shop steward positions are won by elections. For those actively participating in the democracy the monthly fee in marginal.
Along with the fraternity of its members the union offers immediate and real benefits like home insurance and protections against loss of theft, travel insurance and saving and retirement benefits. A lawyer can be held on retainer for a very reasonable fee and union-branded winter gear if offered to the riders.
As a result of the strike of 2019 when foodora riders stopped working the union was able to demand a collective bargaining aggreement. This victory is now known globally as a rare example of worker rights over the gig economy. The collective bargaining aggreement and the strike, when members were paid, is all in thanks to the union.