A trade union is committed to improving working conditions. It represents the interests of its members towards employers and the state.

A trade union is a so-called collective bargaining party. This means that it can conclude collective agreements with the employers' association or an individual employer. For this purpose it conducts collective bargaining, which may, for example, concern higher wages, shorter working hours and more annual leave.

The trade union can use industrial action to achieve its objectives in collective bargaining. This includes threatening strikes, so-called warning strikes and strikes.