Property owners sign agreement after two months of industrial action
Published: 27 August 1998
For years, the Employers' Association of Property Owners (Fastigo) has called for a reduction of the so-called "measuring fee", which its members have to pay as required by the collective agreement with the Painters' Union (Målareförbundet) (SE9806195N [1]). These measuring fees are common in the construction sector where workers are on piece rates. They are used for financing certain common activities, including the operation of impartial institutions which measure the work performed and thereby guarantee that the correct piecework wages are paid. In 1998, Fastigo decided to attempt to settle the issue once and for all. However, the Painters' Union was not prepared to settle on terms other than as laid down in its agreement with the Swedish Association of Painting Contractors (Målaremästarnas Riksförening).[1] www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/observatories/eurwork/articles/painters-strike-over-point-of-principle
Following the threat of a sympathy strike that would have paralysed the building of the new railway from Stockholm to Arlanda airport, the Employers' Association of Property Owners conceded and concluded a collective agreement with the Painter's Union on 18 August 1998.
For years, the Employers' Association of Property Owners (Fastigo) has called for a reduction of the so-called "measuring fee", which its members have to pay as required by the collective agreement with the Painters' Union (Målareförbundet) (SE9806195N). These measuring fees are common in the construction sector where workers are on piece rates. They are used for financing certain common activities, including the operation of impartial institutions which measure the work performed and thereby guarantee that the correct piecework wages are paid. In 1998, Fastigo decided to attempt to settle the issue once and for all. However, the Painters' Union was not prepared to settle on terms other than as laid down in its agreement with the Swedish Association of Painting Contractors (Målaremästarnas Riksförening).
In the middle of June 1998, members of the Painters' Union began a strike. Some weeks later, the Electricians' Union (Elektrikerförbundet), the Building Workers' Union (Byggnadsarbetareförbundet) and the Sheet Metal Workers' Union (Bleck- och plåtslagareförbundet) began sympathy action. On 18 August 1998, only a couple of hours before the conflict was due to be extended with further sympathy action by the Building Maintenance Workers' Union (Fastighetsanställdas förbund), Fastigo agreed to sign a new collective agreement without having achieved its aim. The agreement means that the property owners will have to pay the same measuring fees for at least three years more. The agreed wage increases are 2.8% per year.
What finally made Fastigo surrender was the Electricians' Union's warning of a sympathy strike that would paralyse the building of the new railway from Stockholm to Arlanda airport. The employers claim that this was an abuse of the right to strike, as the companies engaged in the construction project are not affiliated to Fastigo. The Electricians' Union justifies its action by arguing that all employers' organisations would try to get rid of the measuring fees had Fastigo been successful in its aim.
However, trade union solidarity was not quite complete, and 19 out of every 100 building workers who were urged to take sympathy action refused to do so; they thought that the strike pay was too low. A couple of days before they were due to be expelled from the Building Workers' Union, the workers concerned joined another trade union.
Eurofound recommends citing this publication in the following way.
Eurofound (1998), Property owners sign agreement after two months of industrial action, article.
