Transparency & Corruption, Low pay/minimum wages, Pay settlements, Sweden, Croatia, Armenia

Trade unions in the municipal sector have been negotiating with the SKR and Sobona employer organisations in local and regional government with differing outcomes so far. The Vision trade union, representing mainly white-collar workers has settled on the basis of a 3.3% general pay rise and commitments to a review of working hours and joint initiatives to deliver healthier workplaces. The Vårdförbundet health professionals’ union has gone to mediation mainly because it has major concerns over the employers’ proposals on working time and the work environment which it believes will mean worse

After lengthy negotiations a new public sector pay structure is in place that means significant increases to the coefficients used to calculate salaries for different occupations. Overall public sector workers are set to benefit on average by 13.5% in comparison to pay levels in 2023. Most unions are generally happy with the new system, including the HSSMS-MT nurses’ and health workers’ union which is one of 11 to sign the public sector collective agreement. However, other unions, including teaching unions, are unhappy with the outcome and argue that the new system fails to deliver appropriate

The Kommunal municipal service workers’ trade union continues to negotiate collective agreements with a wide range of employers in a busy bargaining round. Workers in church and religious organisations are now covered by a new agreement running from 1 October 2023 to 30 September 2025 while the agreement covering those in the sports sector applies from 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2025. In both cases the pay increases are in line with the main labour market trend. In the religious organisations there will be average salary increases of SEK 1037 (€89) this year and SEK 961 (€83) next year

The HSSMS-MT healthcare union reports that following the third round of public sector pay negotiations, unions have accepted a pay increase of 5%, an improvement on the 3% offer made in the second round of bargaining. The unions have also secured the €300 Christmas bonus that they were looking for and an Easter bonus of €100, less than they wanted but a €30 improvement on the previous offer. There is also a commitment that, should the new pay system not be in place by 1 March 2024, then negotiations would open for a general pay increase.

The Kommunal trade union has negotiated two two-year collective agreements with the Fremia employers’ organisation that covers non-profit service providers. In the agreement with Fremia covering personal assistance, wage increases will be negotiated around an amount of at least SEK 993 (€84) from 1 October 2023 and at least SEK 875 (€74) from 1 October 2024. Minimum wage rates will be increased by SEK 1,350 (€115) from 1 January 2024 and by SEK 875 (€74) from 1 January 2025 while all allowances and supplements will be increased by 4.1% and 3.3% on the same dates. In the civil society agreement

The ST civil servants’ union, part of the OFR/S,P,O group of negotiating unions, concluded a new collective agreement with the Swedish Agency for Government Employers on 30 September. The overall wage development will be 7.4% over two years in line with wage trends in the export industry sector. There will be local negotiations at individual workplaces to determine how the increase is allocated. The agreement also provides for an improved holiday supplement, extra leave so that both parents will be entitled to time off for maternity clinic appointments and increased job security, with a six

Planned industrial action on 15 September was called off when the Kommunal municipal services union agreed a mediated deal with the Visita company that provides catering services to hospitals. A key issue for the union was to ensure that the pay settlement included specific provisions for the lower paid which is a central demand in the current collective bargaining round. The agreement runs for two years from 1 September 2023 and will mean increases to the minimum wage of SEK 1350 (€116) in year one and SEK 1100 (€95) in year two. The pot for general increases will be SEK 1036 (€89) in the

Negotiations over pay and other conditions between the Kommunal trade union and the Visita company that provides catering services for several hospitals have broken down. The union has announced that action by workers at many facilities will go ahead from 14:00 on 15 September unless the company returns to the negotiating table with a commitment to negotiate and particularly to address Kommunal’s proposals to support the lower paid. The union will also block any new hiring as well as implement an overtime ban. Kommunal argues that higher inflation means that it is crucial to deliver pay rises

The strike of members of the SDSLN trade union in the Ministry of Justice is over following a close vote to accept the government’s offer of a 12% pay increase. Although below the €400 increase aimed for, the union argues that this is a reasonable increase and goes some way to recognising that workers in the ministry had been undervalued. The SDLSN also notes that it was a significant achievement to maintain the strike and to affirm its legality in the face of legal challenges by the government. The agreement with the government also confirms that the union will be involved in the negotiations

The Kommunal trade union has negotiated a series of two-year agreements covering a wide range of workers including those working in building maintenance, sports facilities, veterinary care, animal care and training, agriculture and zoos and workplace plant services. The agreements follow the main labour market trend with a 7.4% increase over the two years, with 4.1% in the first year and 3.3% in the second. The agreement covering sports facilities provides for a specific pot for monthly increases for full-time employees of SEK 1029 (€87) in July 2023 and SEK 935 (€80) in July 2024.

Trade unions Kommunal and Vårdförbundet have negotiated a 29-month agreement covering the health and social care sector running from 1 May 2023 to 30 September 2025. Kommunal reports that the amount for increases for full-time employees on 1 May 2023 is SEK 1138 (€97) and SEK 1049 (€90) on 1 May 2024. The new minimum salary as of 1 October 2023 will be SEK 22203 (€1900) and SEK 24456 (€2090) for those with upper secondary education. The corresponding figures for 2024 will be SEK 23252 (€1990) and SEK 25505 (€2180). For Vårdförbundet the main elements include: salary increases in the first year

Kommunal and the Almega Vårdföretagarna employers’ organisation have negotiated two new collective agreements for employees working in private health and social care and eldercare both of which run from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2025. In the private health and social care agreement, the minimum wage will be increased by SEK 1350 (€115) in 2023 and by 3.5% in 2024. The general wage rises will be SEK 1156 (€100) in 2023 and SEK 995 (€85) in 2024. The new minimum salary as of 1 December 2023 will be SEK 21297 (€1830) with a rate of SEK 24013 (€2060) for professionals. These rates will rise to SEK

Following mediation the Kommunal trade union has backed a new agreement with the Gröna Arbetsgivare employers’ organisation covering around 3000 workers in horticulture. The union had been planning strike action following the employers’ initial refusal to increase minimum wages in the agreement in line with the general labour market trend. Wages will increase by 4.1% from 1 May 2023 and by 3.3% from 1 May 2024. Minimum wages will be increased by between SEK 1330 (€115) and SEK 1350 (€117) in the first year and there will also be an additional payment in 2024.

Municipal services union Kommunal has negotiated a new two-year collective agreement with the Fastigo employers’ organisation that covers municipal and other housing and property management services. The agreement runs from 1 May 2023 until 30 April 2025. The main salary increases are on average SEK 1207 (€108) from 1 May 2023 and SEK 1035 (€92) from 1 May 2024. The minimum wage rates in the agreement will increase by SEK 1350 (€121) to SEK 26160 (€2336) in May 2023 – around 5.4% while the 2024 increase of SEK 1035 (€92) will take the rate to SEK 27195 (€2429) – an increase of around 4%

The LO, mainly blue-collar workers’ trade union confederation, has put specific figures to its proposed pay coordination formula that it has drafted for the pay bargaining round in early 2023 with a key aim of supporting lower paid workers. The general pay claim would be for a 4.4% increase but with a minimum increase of SEK 1192 (€110) for those earning less than SEK 27100 (€2500) a month and with an increase of SEK 1371 (€126) on minimum wages in collective agreements. The majority of LO member organisations backed the plan although there are some concerns that the overall target is too low