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Dethroned Union boss will not go quiet into the night: “There were never sexual intentions on my part”
Uffe Jørgensen Odde
August 2nd, 2023
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This article is more than 1 year old.
At the end of April, Lizette Risgaard, Head of the Danish trade union confederation FH, had to resign following accusations of inappropriate behaviour. Now she gives her view on the dramatic departure shortly before the management of FH receives a lawyer’s investigation into the whole matter
Lizette Risgaard. Photo: FH
On Thursday, the management of FH will receive the external legal investigation, which was ordered when a string of accusations of touching young male staff members in an inappropriate manner for years violations were published.
Following a few days of intense media storm, Lizette Risgaard chose to step down as chairman. She has not spoken since – until now.
In a longer interview with Finans.dk Risgaard regrets the process. Including that at a critical moment she left the responsibility for her Facebook post about the matter to external communications advisers.
“I regret that I left it to others. Because I didn’t hurt anyone. And there have never been any sexual intentions on my part. And I have been fully aware of my own position and the power that naturally comes with it. I have not used that power towards employees, members or others that I have met on my way,” Risgaard told Finans.
More to come
In the interview, Risgaard criticizes the legal position one is in as an accused. The media – and in this case politicians in other trade unions – pass judgment quickly.
The 63-year-old Risgaard announces a follow-up from her side when the lawyer’s investigation is available.
“Depending on how FH and the confederations choose to publish the report or parts of it, I will of course also present my interpretation of the result. Then it will be seen whether there will be an aftermath, including a legal aftermath,” Risgaard said.
Thus, the trade union movement can look forward to a stormy time. On September 7, Risgaard’s replacement as chairman will be elected at an extraordinary congress.
The current chairman Morten Skov Christiansen is acting in the role, and it is unclear whether he is a candidate for the position.
The choice of chairman will inevitably be linked to the handling of Lizette Risgaard’s case and how FH will avoid similar cases in the future.
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