Sweden
Key Facts
| Population | 9,341,000 |
|---|---|
| Collective Bargaining Coverage | 90% |
| Proportion of Employees in Unions | 71% |
| Principal Level of Collective Bargaining |
industry – but much left to company negotiations |
| Workplace Representation |
union |
| Board-level Representation |
yes: state-owned and private companies |
| Company Board Structure |
monistic |
Trade Union
The level of union membership in Sweden is very high – at 71% – although it has fallen from its peak of 86% in 1995. There are three main union confederations, LO, TCO and SACO, which are divided along occupational and educational lines in line with the traditional way in which Swedish employees are grouped, and there is considerable co-operation between them.
more ...Collective Bargaining
The key level for collective bargaining in Sweden is the industry level, although more than 90% of employees have part of their pay determined by local level negotiations, and 8% have all their pay determined locally. The overall level of coverage of collective agreements is high – estimated at 90%.
more ...Workplace Representation
Workplace representation for employees in Sweden is through the local union at the workplace. There is no other channel. Legislation requires the employer to negotiate with the unions at the workplace before making major changes, and many of the practical arrangements for doing so, which elsewhere in Europe are fixed by law, are left in Sweden to local negotiations.
more ...Board-level Representation
Employees are represented on the boards of all companies with more than 25 employees (Sweden has a single-tier board system.) There are two or three employee members and they account for around one third of board members in most companies. They are chosen by the union and are generally the key figures in a whole range of employer-union relations.
more ...European-level Representation
Swedish members of bodies linked to European Works Councils and the European Company are – in line with Swedish practice elsewhere – appointed by the local unions the company negotiates with.
more ...Health and Safety
The 1977 Work Environment Act ( Arbetsmiljolagen) provides for the appointment of workplace safety reps in all undertakings employing five or more workers. Their appointment is left to the initiative of the trade union.
more ...Financial Participation
Although debate over employee financial participation was already to be observed in Sweden in the 1960s, the country has no real system directly promoting employee financial participation schemes.
more ...