This time, employers have actually taken things to a whole new level. That’s why I say we’re facing a new kind of enemy,” says Johan Lindholm at a press conference.
He points out, among other things, that employers “refuse to even negotiate with us about our common demands for reduced weekly working hours.” He also mentions the agreement on common insurance conditions, which LO has terminated with the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
There could be a strike here, says Lindholm.
Discuss internally
The LO unions have agreed to support each other - that is, to take industrial action - to reduce working hours through the systems, time banks and other arrangements that the various unions already have in place.
We have promised each other that those who want to shorten working hours in this way will also have support from the other unions, says LO contract secretary Veli-Pekka Säikkälä.
LO is not putting forward any new general demands for reduced working hours in this collective bargaining process.
Johan Lindholm does not want to say whether all 13 unions support the coordination.
Now all the unions are going back to their respective union boards and bargaining councils. On November 27, they will return to LO, he says.
“A compromise”
According to Kommunal, coordinating the unions has been a tough process.
Everyone has had to give and take. It is truly a compromise, and this is how far we got this time. But it is a strength that we can unite behind this, says union chairwoman Malin Ragnegård.
Higher wage increases for everyone, with a larger percentage increase for the lowest-paid, are among the other common demands. The unions will report back in a few weeks on the size of the percentage increase LO will demand.
The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, for its part, says that a “downshift in the rate of wage increases” is required.
“International competition is razor-sharp, while the recovery in the Swedish economy is fragile and large parts of the industry are experiencing pressured profitability,” says Deputy CEO Mattias Dahl in a written comment.
