The majority of collective agreements covering the Swedish economy are set to expire by the end of the first quarter of 2020. Consequently, negotiations to renew some 500 collective agreements that concern 2.8 million employees are set to commence in the coming weeks. Ahead of negotiations over these future agreements, Swedish employers plan to put forward the idea of an agreement negotiated at the confederation level, which could then be signed by Confederation of Swedish Enterprise (Svenskt Näringsliv) and the main trade union confederations in the country. Attempts at such an approach has failed on multiple occasions – in 2009, 2013 and 2015 – sparking a level of disorder and one-upmanship in branch-level negotiations.
Why would an approach that has proved unsuccessful in recent years work in 2019? Edward Hamilton, an expert and negotiator on the employer side, explains that in previous negotiations Svenskt Näringsliv placed emphasis on work flexibility while trade union organisations tabled demands as regards skills development and an increase of support for job conversion, meaning both sides’ demands fell on deaf ears.
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