Union activists handing out multilingual flyers to foreign construction workers at Novo Nordisk building sites in Denmark were physically removed by security and police this week, escalating a fight over alleged underpayment and worker access on projects worth tens of billions of kroner.
I have watched Novo Nordisk build its empire here for years. Now that empire is expanding faster than ever, and the cracks are showing. Early Thursday morning, activists from several construction unions tried to distribute flyers in Polish, English and other languages outside four Novo construction sites, including in Kalundborg and greater Copenhagen. They wanted to tell foreign workers what Danish pay and conditions actually look like. Security and police told them to leave. Private property, they said.
This is not about trespassing. This is about access to information for workers who may not know they are being underpaid.
The Scale of the Problem
Novo Nordisk is pouring more than 42 billion kroner into expanding its Kalundborg facilities alone. Up to 3,000 construction workers will rotate through these sites between now and 2029. Many are from Poland and other EU countries, hired through layers of subcontractors. Danish unions say the same pattern keeps appearing: wages below collective agreements, missing pension contributions, poor housing, and isolation from anyone who might help.
Investigations by Ekstra Bladet documented fraud, money laundering and systematic exploitation on Novo construction projects. Union clubs in 3F and BJMF have collected testimony and payslips showing Polish workers earning far less than Danish rates for the same job. As stated by the 3F BJMF construction club, the company underpays Polish employees again and again.
Why This Matters for Expats
If you are a foreign worker in Denmark, your residence permit and income depend on honest contracts and accurate reporting. If your actual salary does not match what your employer told immigration authorities, you have a problem. If you are being paid less than the collective agreement requires, you are owed money and you have legal rights.
But you need to know those rights exist. That is why the flyers matter. They list the actual hourly rates, overtime rules, and holiday pay under Danish agreements. They explain how to contact a union. For workers who do not speak Danish and whose boss is their only source of information, a piece of paper in their own language can be the difference between exploitation and a fair deal.
What Happened at Kalundborg
Earlier this year, 400 to 500 construction workers at a Novo site in Kalundborg staged a blockade over a conflict listed subcontractor accused of underpaying staff. The action worked. Novo Nordisk told the firm it could not resume work until the dispute was resolved. Organised workers shouted victory, as reported by Solidaritet.
That success is why union clubs are now pushing harder at other sites. They want Novo to take direct responsibility for labour standards across its entire subcontractor chain, not just point to codes of conduct and audit tick boxes. But they cannot organise workers they cannot reach. And right now, they cannot reach them.
The Company and the Critics
Novo Nordisk says it expects all contractors to comply with Danish law and collective agreements. Site managers say union activists cannot enter active construction zones without permission for safety and security reasons. That sounds reasonable until you realise it effectively locks foreign workers inside an information bubble controlled by the same employers unions accuse of underpaying them.
Business voices worry that blockades and conflicts hurt Denmark’s reputation as an investment destination. I understand the concern. Novo is investing staggering sums and creating jobs at a time when the company has also cut roughly 5,000 positions in restructuring. Denmark cannot afford to scare off its biggest corporate player.
But Denmark also cannot afford to become known as a place where EU workers get ripped off on billion kroner projects while unions get escorted off site by police. The Danish labour model is built on strong collective agreements and union access. If that access disappears behind security gates, the model breaks.
What Foreign Workers Can Do
If you are working on a Novo construction site or any major project in Denmark, check your payslip against the relevant collective agreement. Contact 3F BJMF or another relevant union. Many have English and Polish speaking staff. Even if you are not a member, they can advise you. Document everything: contracts, payslips, hours worked. If your employer reported one salary to immigration but pays you less, contact SIRI and the tax agency immediately.
You have rights here. The question is whether you will be allowed to learn what they are.
