Safety issues resolved in new electricians' agreement

On 26 October 1999, the Swedish Electricians' Union and Electrical Contractors Association agreed a new collective agreement, after six weeks of industrial action. The important safety issue which had divided the parties was finally resolved through mediation.

In the middle of the night of 26 October 1999, the Electricians' Union (Svenska Elektrikerförbundet, SEF) and the Electrical Contractors' Organisation (Elektriska Installatörsorganisationen EIO) concluded a new collective agreement (installationsavtal) after more than a month of industrial action (SE9909190N). The new agreement contains a pay rise of 8.5% over a three-year period. It also contains a provision that piecework should be used as often as possible, and clauses on flexible working time. The agreement is valid until 31 March 2001. SEF has about 22,000 members in 2,600 companies.

A major stumbling block in the negotiations was a safety issue raised by SEF - responsibility in the event of electrical accidents. This issue raised several problems, but the crux was that the employers stated that individual electricians were the responsible person if there was an accident caused by them, while SEF tried to convince EIO that it was always the employer that should have the ultimate responsibility. Following mediation, a solution was found. At every job involving electrical activities there will now be an electrician appointed as being responsible for safety and electrical checks. This mission shall be given only to experienced and competent electricians, who must have a good knowledge of the workplace. The electrician concerned has to be notified of his or her mission in writing and will receive special payments agreed individually with the employer. A working group containing two representatives from each party and an impartial chair will be appointed. The members of this "electrical safety group" will follow up the agreement and propose such measures, work regulations and education provision which might be needed to secure electrical safety "within the area where both parties have a mutual responsibility", the agreement states.

In concluding the agreement the parties avoided a planned lawful strike by 800 electricians, which had been postponed on 25 October. The electricians' industrial action, which began in September 1999, involved bans on overtime work, on employing new electricians and on the lending of electricians between different companies.