Skive mayor keeps royal reception at restaurant without collective agreement

Skive Mayor Alfred Brunsgaard says a planned reception for Denmark’s king and queen will go ahead at a restaurant without a collective agreement, despite criticism from a local politician. DR reported that the royal couple are due to visit the town on Friday as it marks 700 years as a market town.

The event, organised by Skive Municipality, includes standing tapas at Hereford Beefstouw, also known as Rosenhøj. The restaurant says negotiations on a new collective agreement have broken down.

Mie Johansen, a city council member for the Socialist People’s Party, said the municipality should set an example by choosing a restaurant with an agreement. She said working conditions at the restaurant could still be satisfactory, but argued the municipality should make sure they are in order. She added that she had nothing negative to say about the restaurant itself.

Brunsgaard told DR the municipality cannot require a restaurant to have a collective agreement and that the booking has been made. He told TV 2 Midtvest the restaurant was chosen because it is close to Fjordbadet, a bathing facility that the royal couple are due to open during the visit. He plans to meet union 3F on Monday; the meeting was arranged before the criticism arose.

The visit will also include a welcome at the Old Town Hall and the opening of Fjordbadet. The reception at the restaurant is scheduled to end at 3.30pm. DR said the restaurant and the Royal Household had not responded to requests for comment.