Historical: Trude Sande is the new union leader

The election was made at the YTF national meeting on September 5, and Sande received full support. She was elected by acclamation.

– Justice is the reason I became a representative. Now the national conference has given me the confidence to lead the entire YTF, and I am both proud and humbled by that, says Sande.

Over 20 years as a shop steward

Since 2003, she has held a number of positions in YTF. She has led YTF's largest department, been the chief shop steward at Tide, and for the past nine years she has been deputy chair of the union.

“The journey from 2016 to today has been incredible. I have learned a tremendous amount, and I am ready to lead YTF forward,” she says.

Will fight for the industry

As leader, she promises to improve members' conditions, with particular focus on safety, recruitment and shift arrangements that can be combined with family life.

– We need companies that have the finances to give our members a workday that they can live with. It is a fight we must take all the way to the Storting, she says.

A leader from the floor

Sande has driven a bus in Bergen herself and knows what the members' everyday lives are like. She is known as clear, down-to-earth and uncompromising when it comes to members' rights.

– I promise to be a strong voice for everyone who works in transport and logistics. Together we will make everyday life better, she says.

A historic shift

With Trude Sande at the helm, a new chapter begins in the Norwegian Workers' Union. She is the first woman to lead the union, and she is determined that it will not be the last.

– YTF is strong because we stand together. That's how we will win the games going forward, says Sande.