How can Sweden’s social model cater for e-commerce and the effects of globalization and yet still maintain its integrity? This was the central question that the agreement signed on June 15 2015 tried to address. Employers’ bodies, Svensk Handel (Commerce) and Arbetsgivarföreningen KFO (Cooperatives) came together with workers’ unions Handels (Commerce workers), Unionen (Private Sector workers), and Akademikerförbunden (Higher education graduates) to sign this atypical agreement (a similar type already exists for the industrial sector) called “utvecklingsavtal” (development agreement).
Strength through unity. Agreements already exist in the commerce sector on issues ranging from safety, vocational training, through to the working environment, but these have been somewhat piecemeal. The sector is fully aware of the threat posed by the growth in e-commerce and globalization. However in order to defend its interests it must first make itself known and this is why both the employers’ bodies and the unions have been in discussions since 2012 over an agreement that will allow the s
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