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Swedish dockers take industrial action in working hours dispute
4 June 2008
Dockers in Sweden began industrial action last week after employers and the union failed to reach an agreement over working hours.
On 26 May, members of the ITF-affiliated Swedish Transport Workers’ Union refused to work overtime after negotiations with the employers’ organisation failed to reach an agreement over how working hours should be decided. According to the union, the employers are seeking to decide unilaterally what hours dockers should work. The union’s current collective bargaining agreement states that working hours should be decided jointly by the union and the employer. The ITF understands that the union is also planning all-out strike action on 13 June in the ports of Stockholm, Wallhamn (Terminal West) and Varberg.
Marcel Carlstedt, the union’s head negotiator for dockers commented: “This is a struggle between the employers' unrestricted right to decide on working time and the dockers' demand for co-determination. This is the first step in the dispute. It will be followed by more if we don’t reach an acceptable settlement with the employers’ organisation.”
The ITF is calling on its dockers’ affiliates to stand by to provide their Swedish colleagues with solidarity support.
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