Sweden: end of State pharmaceutical monopoly and first controversial collective agreement

Two agreements to regulate this “new” sector. The entire drugstore network, which used to be controlled by Apoteket AB (State owned), was dismantled on July 1, 2009. The State sold 150 pharmacies to individuals and 466 to large businesses. Only 330 remained within Apoteket AB. The sectoral collective agreement signed between the Almega employers’ federation and the Sveriges Farmacevtförbundet (SFF – sectoral union affiliated with the SACO) and Farmaciförbundet (sectoral union affiliated with TCO) unions, is supposed to encourage fair competition between these businesses and to provide employees with fair working conditions and benefits. The wage agreement, signed for one year, was concluded to limit wage dumping. It provides for a 2.9% wage increase and monthly minimum wage amounting to SEK 14,500 (€1.368) for people under the age of 20. The sectoral collective agreement, signed for two years, sets the workweek at 40 hours. Employees hired on April 30, 2009 will keep working 37.5 hours a week. Those who agree to increase working time will get a 7% wage increase. Regarding pensions, unions obtained higher contributions from private employers so employees can enjoy the same compensation level. Provisions on vocational training were also negotiated since drugstores are obliged to have skilled employees to keep their permit to sell drug.
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he workweek at 40 hours. Employees hired on April 30, 2009 will keep working 37.5 hours a week. Those who agree to increase working time will get a 7% wage increase. Regarding pensions, unions obtained higher contributions from private employers so employees can enjoy the same compensation level. Provisions on vocational training were also negotiated since drugstores are obliged to have skilled employees to keep their permit to sell drug.

One union is opposed to the sectoral agreement. Unionen i

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