Former employers' leader reviews operation of National Mediation Office

Sweden's National Mediation Office started operations in June 2000. In 2005, Göran Tunhammar, the former managing director of the Swedish Employers' Confederation, (now the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise), has been commissioned by the government to conduct an evaluation of the Office’s work so far.

The National Mediation Office (Medlingsinstitutet, MI) has been active in two bargaining rounds since starting operations in 1 June 2000. Therefore it is convenient now to investigate whether the National Mediation Office’s activities has had an effect on wage formation, which might lead to adjustments in the Office’s mission, the Working Life Minister Hans Karlsson pointed out in announcing the commission and the Commissioner Göran Tunhammar. Mr Tunhammar is the former managing director of the Swedish Employers’ Confederation (Svenska Arbetsgivareföreningen, SAF), currently with the name of the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv).

The Commissioner shall evaluate the National Mediation Office’s activities during 2002-4. The evaluation shall contain an analysis of how the wage formation has worked in the long term, from the 1980s and onward. The demands made on the wage formation process since the beginning of the 2000s are also to be investigated. The Commissioner will examine difficulties and possibilities relating to the key role in creating wage norms of the sectors of the economy open to international competition. An evaluation should also be made of whether the National Mediation Office has acted in line with its powers. The Commissioner should be ready to present his results by 31 March 2006.

The National Mediation Office started work on 1 June 2000. Its task is to mediate in labour conflicts and to work for a well-functioning wage formation. The goal is wage formation carried out in balance with the society and the social partners, in a climate of industrial peace (SE0105195F).

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