Union density is around 67 per cent and bargaining coverage at 75– 80 per cent of the workforce. Similarly, unions have traditionally been able to influence policy-making in tandem with employer associations through corporatist channels. Instrumental to this influence is the so called Ghent-system, by which unions administer unemployment benefits funds (a-kasser). This system has traditionally provided a dual-membership mechanism of both union and unemployment benefit fund and thus relatively robust union densities even during periods of unemployment.

However, unions are facing a host of pressures that are challenging the various strong holds of unions. Union membership is declining and especially Danish LO – the confederation for skilled and unskilled workers – has experienced large reductions during the last 10–15 years. Alongside, more secular trends of decline in unionism, LO is suffering from structural changes in the labour market due to education, but also net losses of members to the so called »yellow unions«.