Sweden, France
Agreement, conciliation and dispute in municipal sector
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
Union survey reveals persistence of gender discrimination
The Vision trade union has published a survey that found that four out of 10 young women state that they have been discriminated against at some point in their working life. The union says that employers need to continuously and more actively work for equal rights and opportunities for employees. In Sweden, employers are obliged to prevent discrimination according to the Discrimination Act, and this work must be done in cooperation with the trade union. The Vision survey found that more than one in four women (29%), regardless of age, say that they have been discriminated against at their
Unions taking different approaches to working time
Following the article on Iceland, the latest in the series of articles on working time commissioned by EPSU from the Labour Research Department focuses on developments in the other Nordic countries. While several unions in Sweden have put shorter working time on the bargaining agenda (see also article on Sweden in this newsletter), there are only a few cases in social care where a shorter working week has been implemented. In Norway and Denmark the priority has been more to ensure that workers in health and care and other services have the right to full-time working although there are some
Health union looks to shorter full-time hours to tackle overwork
A new report from the Swedish Association of Health Professionals (SAHP) shows that more than four out of 10 young people up to the age of 29 do not believe that they will stay in healthcare for the rest of their working lives. One in five young people testify that the workload is so high with inadequate rest and recovery that it cannot be managed. The union argues that if young people leave the health care system, the existing staffing shortages will worsen. The report shows that more than half of young people feel that staffing is rarely or never sufficient and 85% believe that the workload
Unions plan joint actions on 8 and 19 March
Eight trade union organisations (CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, CFTC, FO, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA) are coordinating their call for gender equality on 8 March – International Women’s Day – with actions planned across the country. The unions note the persistent gender pay gap in both public and private sectors and the concentration of women in low-paying sectors. They are calling for the revaluation of jobs in sectors dominated by women, transparency over pay and sanctions against employers that discriminate, massive investment in public services and action to tackle violence and harassment. An eight
Union seeks major changes to pay and hours in collective agreement
The Kommunal trade union with 350,000 members covered by the largest collective agreement in Sweden (1.2 million workers in local government) is seeking major improvements in the current negotiations. It wants to address the problem that many workers don’t understand the pay system and the criteria used to establish their salary. There are concerns that the system is arbitrary. The union also wants to see changes to working time with more worker control over their working time arrangements rather than leaving it to the discretion of management or algorithmic systems. Kommunal stresses that
Joint mobilisation by public service unions on 19 March
Eight public service trade unions – CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, FA, FO, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA – met on 24 January and issued a joint communique condemning the absence of any measures to increase public service pay, particularly in context of sustained inflation. The unions are calling for immediate negotiations to address issues around careers and salaries and have rejected President Emmanual Macron’s talk of better recognizing "merit" as a tactic to avoid the urgent need to improve pay and conditions. The unions have set 19 March as a national day of action, including strikes and other protests
Health professional’s union seeking shorter hours and higher pay
Vårdförbundet, the trade union for health professionals has set out its main demands for shorter working hours and higher wages for the upcoming negotiations with the SALAR and Sobona employer organisations. The collective agreement covers 90,000 midwives, biomedical analysts, radiographers and nurses employed by municipalities and regions. A recent report by the union found that three out of 10 members work part time and many of these do so because they can't cope with full-time hours. Half say that the main reason is the need for rest and recovery. The survey also showed that one in two part
Public service unions unite in demands over pay
Eight public service federations – CFDT, CFE-CGC, CGT, FA, FO, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA – have issued a joint statement on the need for urgent action to improve pay for civil servants and public sector employees. The unions argue that the five index-point increase for public sector workers implemented this year was already foreseen in 2023 and that no further increase is planned for 2024. The government has given no indication that any negotiations will take place to cover 2024 and in the light of this the unions were due to meet this month to consider what action to take, with the prospect of
Union sets out key demands for upcoming bargaining
The Kommunal trade union has had an initial exchange with the SALAR and Sobona employer organisations ahead of the negotiations this spring on the largest collective agreement in Sweden, covering 1.2 million workers in healthcare, schools and social services. The union wants a new wage arrangement that provides a clear link between salary and professional development. Kommunal also wants a system that achieves sustainable working hours based on annual staffing surveys and with a move away from split shifts. According to the union the current pay system is too arbitrary and seven out of 10
Solidarity across sectors as metal union takes on Tesla
The IF Metall engineering union has been taking strike action to put pressure on Tesla, the electric car manufacturer, to sign a collective agreement. Although the direct dispute involves a small number of members, the union is determined to prevent Tesla from undermining the strong system of collective bargaining not only in the metal sector but across the whole economy. Many unions in other sectors have taken solidarity action and public service trade unions like Kommunal are showing their support and urging their members to get involved in the campaign. Meanwhile, unions in neighbouring
Health unions take action over pay, conditions and funding
The health unions CGT Santé et Action Sociale, FO Santé and UNSA Santé et Sociaux organised protests and strike action on 16 November in support of a range of demands for better pay and conditions, action on staffing and other issues. The unions are demanding measures to improve training and recruitment; a general pay rise; gender equality; increased funding for facilities and staff and a halt to all closures of establishments, services and beds. Better early retirement pension provision for arduous work and withdrawal of the new law on pensions were also part of the demands. EPSU sent a
Union mobilises climate reps for green workplace action
The Vision trade union is aiming to address climate issues at work through a network of climate representatives who are aiming to work with employers to take a range of initiatives including looking at ways to make commuting more sustainable. Climate reps in 15 branches, representing thousands of members in municipalities, regions and the Church of Sweden, are currently putting forward proposals such as subsidized travel cards for public transport, initiatives to provide bikes, charging stations at the workplace and other things that enable reduced climate impact from commuting. Vision says it