In Denmark, pay conditions are established through collective agreements or individual agreements between companies and employees. On this page, you can see the pay levels and agreement terms and conditions for plumbers and pipe fitters.
The pay of individual employees varies and depends on factors such as performance, skills, experience and in some cases piecework and bonus agreements. Other factors are the company's profile, geographical location, etc.
The chart below shows earnings per hour worked for plumbers and pipe fitters who are employed as ordinary employees. Apprentices, young workers (< 18 years), managers, and employees with special responsibilities are not included.
Earnings per hour worked for plumbers and pipe fitters
Source: Confederation of Danish Employers 2022. Plumbers and pipe fitters are calculated based on work function (DISCO) = 712600: Plumbers and pipe fitters.
See the bar chart "Earnings per hour worked for plumbers and pipe fitters" in a larger scale
The chart shows that a quarter of employees receive an overall payment of less than DKK 286,37 per hour worked. The median is DKK 319,83. The most highly paid quarter receive an overall payment of more than DKK 362,32.
Some employees receive significantly less and others significantly more than the figures mentioned.
The average is DKK 331,85 per hour worked.
What do earnings per hour worked consist of?
Earnings per hour worked is the overall amount, which Danish employers pay for 1 hour of work. The payment includes all pay elements, including the agreed hourly wage and fixed and variable supplements, free choice schemes, bank holidays (public holidays which fall on a weekday), holiday and absence payments, and pensions. Absence payments are distributed across the hours worked.
Supplements for overtime and other nuisance compensation are not included.
Remuneration of posted employees must take place within the framework of EU law.
Pay elements of the Plumbing Collective Agreement
The salaries shown reflect the individual or collective agreements, that have been entered into between the company and the employees. The leading collective agreement for plumbers and pipe fitters is the Plumbing Collective Agreement between TEKNIQ Arbejdsgiverne (The Danish mechanical and electrical contractors association) and Blik & Rør (Danish Tin and Plumbing Workers’ Union)/Dansk Metal (Danish Steelworkers’ Union).
The summary below shows the pay elements, that form the basis for earnings, excluding nuisance compensation, for employees covered by the Plumbing Collective Agreement:
- Minimum wage agreement. The agreement contains a minimum rate, below which the basic wage must not fall.
- Personal and locally negotiated pay supplements.
- Employer-paid pension contributions: 10 %.
- Additional holiday entitlement and public holidays: 13%. From 1 March 2024: 15%.
- Free choice scheme: 3 %.
- Health insurance scheme: 0.15 %.
- Right to wages during periods of illness and maternity leave, etc. under certain conditions
- Piecework pay options
- Productivity supplement (in the absence of piecework): DKK 10 per hour. If personal pay exceeds the minimum wage plus DKK 10 per hour, the bonus is not relevant.
- In addition to the agreement-based pay elements, the legislation prescribes a holiday payment of 12.5 %.
The Plumbing Collective Agreement 2023–2025 (in danish)
Please contact the Danish main organisations:
The Confederation of Danish Employers
Dansk Arbejdsgiverforening (DA)
Telephone: +45 33 38 90 00
Email: da@da.dk
Danish Trade Union Confederation
Fagbevægelsens Hovedorganisation (FH)
Telephone: +45 35 24 60 00
Email: fh@fho.dk
