Sweden: towards limiting the right to strike?

This question has come up since repeated strike action at the port of Gothenburg during 2016 and 2017, and which, according to the labor Minister Ylva Johansson, demonstrates that the Swedish system is not functioning correctly. As a result the Minister requested an inquiry be conducted and deliver conclusions before the end of May 2018. Most trade unions oppose any revision to the right to strike because of an underlying fear that they may lose the right to launch a movement in protest at an employer’s decision to either negotiate with an alternative trade union within a sector, or move to a different employer’s body so as to come under a different sector agreement, very real fears given the increasing numbers of company mergers and acquisitions. However others, recognizing issues over scope and boundaries, are less resistant to such a change.
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Reasons for and consequences of the dispute. APM Terminal, the port of Gothenburg port employer concluded a collective agreement with the Transport trade union, an LO confederation member and the majority union across the country’s 55 ports. However Hamnarbetarförbundet is the majority union at the Gothenburg port. Since Hamnarbetarförbundet did not enter into any agreement with APM Terminal and since the employer said it would only work with the Transport union, the port of Gothenburg’s...

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