The trade union organises employees in many parts of the transport industry including: 

• bus and coach transport
• warehouses
• oil companies
• docks
• packaging
• refuse and waste disposal
• distribution
• long distance transport
• taxis
• newspaper delivery
• self-employed vehicle owners

NTF is a party-political independent trade union, working both at the local and national level to influence decisions that are important for the members. The trade union is affiliated to the largest employee organisation in Norway – The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO), which has approximately 800, 000 members - and to the Nordic Transport Workers' Federation, the European Transport Workers' Federation and the International Transport Workers' Federation. This network gives the members great strength and security.

Objectives
The trade union's most important task is to protect and improve pay and conditions of work. Members can rely on their union to give legal aid in the event of serious problems at work, to offer training courses and to influence social development both at the national and international level.

Many people who apply for jobs take it for granted that there are fixed wages and well- established working conditions in the sector that they are interested in joining. This is, however, by no means the case. It is important to be aware of the fact that all the improvements that have been made have been achieved either by NTF directly or in collaboration with the rest of the trade union movement. Some examples are:

• shorter working hours
• the Holidays Act
• the Equal Rights Act
• the Basic Agreement
• national collective agreements
• the Working Environment Act
• industrial democracy
• the Statutory Sick Pay scheme
• AFP-pension scheme (agreemet-based)
• Advantages of membership

Membership makes it possible to obtain optimal security of work and income in the transport industry, and it safeguards and develops the political and professional rights of the members. In addition to the political and trade union arena, one has as a member of NTF a number of other advantages. The most important are:

The Basic Agreement – National Agreements – Local Agreements
If a minimum of 10% of the employees in your company are organised NTF can demand an agreement.

T he Basic Agreement is often referred to as a working life's constitution and it contains, amongst other provisions, rules for the right to organise oneself, the right to negotiate and a framework of procedures to help solve disagreements. In addition to the security and satisfaction obtained from being one of a group of members there is the advantage of being covered by collective agreements, negotiated by the union, giving employees the right to be consulted on their working conditions. The collective agreement secures a just wage structure and rights concerning working hours, payments for overtime, shift pay, free working uniforms/safety gear, severance pay, on-call service, compassionate leave, the right to further education, etc.

You will find more information about the agreement that concerns you in separate pamphlets which you can obtain from the shop steward at your workplace or from your trade union branch.

Legal aid
As a member you have the right to free legal aid at work.

Course activities
The range of training courses provided by NTF is extensive. These trade union courses provide learning and training opportunities. You can also participate in courses arranged by AOF (Workers' Educational Association in Norway). Study circles, correspondence courses, weekend courses and week courses are also available through your membership. All course activities are free of charge and free travel, expenses and grants are offered to enable you to participate. Child supervision costs are also covered if required while you are on a course.

The union's journal
The Transport Worker ('Transportarbeideren') is the union's journal and is distributed nine times a year. The journal keeps members informed and up-to-date with political and trade union developments in the workplace branches, regional branches and at national union level. The union has its own website which is updated regularly (www.transportarbeider.no).

Educational fund
The objective of LO's (The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions) educational fund is to support educational measures and skills development for members. The fund provides grants for work-related courses, for retraining, and for general education which qualifies one for higher education and basic compulsory education subjects. All NTF union members covered by the fund can apply for financial support.

Training Qualifications
NTF works to raise the professional status of all its occupational groups. The trade union is of the opinion that everyone should have the opportunity to gain a qualification and to be paid as a skilled worker.

Insurance – LO's advantage card
Being included in an insurance scheme is an important part of your membership. As a member you automatically have:

• Collective comprehensive household insurance; the cheapest and best comprehensive insurance of house contents and movables in Norway
• Basic life insurance that provides immediate financial aid for you and your family in the event of a sudden death or incapacity
• LO's leisure time insurance which covers accidents in your free time (not applicable to self-employed vehicle owners). d

As part of your membership you will also be given an advantage card – 'LOfavør kort' – that provides proof of membership. The card gives information about the insurance schemes that apply to you as well as providing the opportunity to buy quality goods at low prices and the use of a number of favourable bank and financial services.

The organisation
NTF has trade union branches in all counties of Norway each covering a specific geographical area and/or sector. Each trade union branch has a board that is elected annually. The branches' main task is to attend to the members' interests by, for example, ensuring that existing laws and agreements are made known and duly followed.

The members are organised in workplace branches or groups at their place of work. The workplace branch is affiliated to a trade union branch in the same region.

NTF's highest authority is Congress that meets every four years. Congress deals with, among other issues, the annual reports and accounts, the Programme of Action and the election of the union officers. The National Delegates' Meeting is NTF's highest authority between Congresses and consists of 31 members drawn from the different regions of the country including the Executive Committee's 11 members. The Executive Committee is responsible for the daily business of the trade union in accordance with the constitution and trade union policy.

The union's main administrative offices are situated in Oslo. The administration consists of eight elected officers who are responsible for the day-to-day running of NTF and for following up the decisions made by the union's political bodies. Head office also employs a staff of eight whose job it is to help provide assistance and information to individual members, workplace branches and trade union branches.

Membership fees
The membership fee provides a financial basis for the union's activities and is calculated as a percentage of a member's gross income. The overall fee is a combination of an organisation fee and an insurance fee. The organisation fee is charged on the basis of the member's income (1,1% to the national union and minimum 0.4% to the trade union branch). The insurance fee is a fixed amount per month, which covers the cost of the insurance premium.