While Transport reached an agreement with the employer on Tuesday, the conflict between the Harbor Workers' Union and the Swedish Ports continues. The union demands, among other things, strengthened protection for elected representatives and has warned of a series of point strikes in the near future. "We will continue with our strikes in different ports, and then we'll see. I hope we can find a solution," says Chairman Martin Berg.
The Swedish Ports, however, believe that the strikes are illegal, since there is an existing collective agreement with the Transport Workers' Federation.
The employer has therefore made a so-called peace obligation appeal, which will be tried by the Labor Court on Friday afternoon.
"To have different employment conditions for different employees depending on union membership would be an unsustainable situation for an employer, and besides, completely contrary to the Swedish model. It is completely unthinkable for us," says Johan Grauers, chief negotiator for the Swedish Ports, in a press release.
The Harbor Workers' Union members went on strike between 12 and 18 on Wednesday in approximately 15 Swedish ports.
On Thursday morning, the union members began strikes at selected companies in Gothenburg, Gävle, Karlshamn, Stockholm/Nynäshamn, Sundsvall, and Umeå/Holmsund.
In the near future, strikes and other industrial actions (such as overtime blockade) are also expected in Halmstad, Helsingborg, Malmö, Kalix, Luleå, Piteå, Skellefteå, and Söderhamn.
