Bus drivers strike for improved working conditions

Around 16,000 drivers and mechanics employed in private bus transport went on strike in Sweden on 25 February 1999, seeking better pay and working conditions, including scheduled rest breaks.

Negotiations over a new collective agreement for around 16,000 privately employed bus drivers and mechanics started in December 1998. The talks broke down at the beginning of February 1999, and on 11 February, the Municipal Worker's Union (Svenska Kommunalarbetareförbundet, Kommunal) gave notice of a strike. Mediation began, but on 24 February Kommunal rejected the recommendations from the mediators, though they were accepted by the employers' organisation, the Bus and Coach Employers' Association (Busstrafikens Arbetsgivareförbund, BUA). At midnight on Thursday 25 February, around 16,000 drivers and mechanics employed in private bus transport went on strike.

The bus drivers were demanding a pay increase in of 3%-4% for 1999 and improved working conditions, particularly scheduled short rest breaks during work. The mediators' recommendations provided for an increase in pay of 1.84% in the first year and 2.90% for the following year, according to Kommunal's calculations. The principal reason why Kommunal rejected the mediation proposals was that the regulation of working hours was seen as much too vague.

The bus drivers have been affected by the restructuring of regular bus services in 1989, when many services were taken over by private companies. There has been keen competition between the bus companies and hence pressure on bus fares. In tender procedures, local authorities have chosen those companies which submitted the lowest tenders. This, it is claimed, is why many working shifts run for five continuous hours without any rest break.

On 19 February, negotiations between Kommunal and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities (Kommunförbundet) also broke down. These negotiations affect around 3,000 bus drivers working in the municipalities. At the time of writing (late February), it was not known whether this breakdown in negotiations would result in a strike being called.

On 25 February, the Swedish Transport Workers' Union (Svenska Transportarbetareförbundet, Transport) decided that its member bus drivers would refuse to cover for the jobs of their colleagues on strike. This partial action was due to begin on 4 March 1999, providing that the Kommunal strike was still in progress. Transport has thus put to one side its own quarrels with Kommunal. In a long-running inter-union dispute between Kommunal and Transport, the latter claims that about 4,500 bus drivers in Kommunal actually belong, along with some other drivers, to Transport. Earlier in 1999, Kommunal had decided not to cooperate with Transport during the negotiations for the bus drivers' agreement, and spokespersons for Kommunal say that they are acting for all the bus drivers concerned in the talks that have now broken down. Kommunal's case was recently supported by a decision of the board of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Landsorganisationen i Sverige, LO) which stated that Kommunal had the right to organise bus drivers on regular scheduled services.