Sweden
Background information on industrial relations in Sweden
- 24 Apr 2012
Sweden: Sweden: Employment and Industrial Relations in the Hotels and Restaurants.The key challenge facing the HORECA sector during the last four years have been the raised fee for joining the unemployment benefit fund in 2007, causing many to leave the Hotel & Restaurant Workers´ Union (HRF). Furthermore, there has been an on-going debate about the high levels of youth unemployment in Sweden and political measures to address this, as the HORECA sector is characterised by young professionals and constitute for many the first job in their professional career. Furthermore, the effects of the economic crisis hit the sector during 2009, which further complicated the social dialogue in the sector.
- 05 Apr 2012
Sweden: Sweden: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the insurance sectorLess than one percent of Swedish employees work in the insurance sector which is closely linked to the Swedish banking sector. The dominating employer association, the Swedish Insurance Employers' Association (FAO), concentrates exclusively on the sector. There is also the Cooperative Movement Bargaining Organisation (KFO) representing co-operative businesses and non-profit organisations, and the Swedish Banking Institutions’ Employer Association (BAO) which focuses primarily on employers in the banking sector. The main trade union is the Trade Union for Insurance and Finance (FTF). Complementary trade unions in the sector are three member trade unions in the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO) and the Financial Sector Union of Sweden (Finansförbundet).
- 27 Mar 2012
Sweden: Sweden: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the paper sectorSweden has the third largest pulp and paper industry in Europe after Germany and Finland, and is one of the world’s largest exporters of these goods. The paper sector counts for about 1% of total employment in Sweden. During 2010, collective bargaining was conducted during a period of dispute, and industrial action took place. The sector is otherwise characterised by stable industrial relations. There are two employer organisations that cover around 30,000 employees and the Swedish Paper Workers Union is the biggest union in the sector with around 15,500 active employees in the sector. Since 1996 there has been a continuous fall in employment in the sector and the data from 2008 shows a total decrease of about 13% since 1998.
- 21 Mar 2012
Sweden: Unions divided over Euro PactThe question of whether Sweden should have approved the Euro Pact has sparked divisions within the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO). In a press release on 3 February 2012, the leadership of the 6F amalgamation of unions openly opposed a statement in support of the pact made by the LO President Wanja Lundby-Wedin. LO’s committee will have to work hard to heal the split before the election of a new LO president, which takes place in May and is being contested by four candidates.
- 07 Mar 2012
Sweden: Sweden: The representativeness of trade unions and employer associations in the sea fisheries sectorThe sea fisheries sector in Sweden is a small sector with around 1,255 companies in 2009, of which 1,143 are individual companies with no employees. Due to the majority of self-employed workers in the sector, there are very few employees, (about 269 in 2009). The only social partner in the sector is the Swedish Fishermen’s Association (SFR) with a sectorial domain density, in terms of companies, of about 80% (SFR estimate). Because of the high number of self-employed people, no collective agreements or trade unions exist.
- 21 Feb 2012
Sweden: Collective agreement sets tone for 2012 wage bargainingA collective agreement between the Swedish Forest Industries Federation and the Swedish Paper Workers’ Union was reached on 17 December 2011, featuring a 3% wage increase over 14 months. The agreement, the first to be reached with the coordination of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, conforms to wage levels set in previous agreements within the Swedish industry agreement. This reinforces its norm-setting role in the 2011–2012 wage bargaining round.
- 30 Jan 2012
Sweden: Social partners’ battle over pay set to continueSwedish social partners in industry managed to sign a collective agreement on 13 December 2011, after long and difficult wage negotiations. However, although the employer organisations are satisfied that potential strikes have been averted, they claim the agreement is at ‘breaking point’. Unions are split over how much influence the agreement will have when other sectors begin wage bargaining in the spring of 2012, even though it has been accepted since 1997 as norm-setting.