If the parties have not reached an agreement before 07.00 on the morning of April 18, next Thursday, a strike will break out.
This is about 750 workplaces across the country, and around 5,000 employees. They work, among other things, as kitchen and meal staff, janitors and bathhouse staff.
The counterparties are Sweden’s municipalities and regions (SKR) and Sobona, the municipal companies’ employer organization.
“Municipal: No other choice but to act”
– A strike is always a last resort and absolutely nothing Municipal does lightly. But if SKR and Sobona do not choose to find a solution at the negotiating table, Kommunal has no other choice but to act, says Malin Ragnegård, chairman of Kommunal in a press release.
Last Friday, the union broke off negotiations with the other party. The union is not satisfied with how the salary process is carried out, they want, among other things, written documentation of salary negotiations.
Even 24-hour rest for rescue services and personnel within LSS operations are issues where the union considers that the other party has not met the union.
In total, over half a million employees work in the contract areas affected by Kommunal’s notice.
Locked location for Vårdförbundet and SKR/Sobona
The handling of working hours is also a reason why mediation is now also underway for the Swedish Health Confederation’s agreement with the same counterparties, Sobona and SKR.
Mediation began on April 1, for a collective agreement covering 90,000 midwives, biomedical analysts, radiology nurses and nurses in municipalities, regions and municipal companies.
According to Vårdförbundet, SKR/Sobona requires that employees in connection with “certain training” must work several days in a row, change workplaces without either rest or overtime compensation.
– Our members thus get worse working hours, a worse working environment and, moreover, they should not be compensated for it. We will never be able to agree to such a provision. It would be an extreme extension of our members’ work obligation and the employer’s work management rights. It would also mean that the members’ right to protection and right to recovery is lost, said Vårverbundet’s president Sineva Ribeiro in a comment about the situation on Sunday, April 7.
Vårdförbundet demands an answer from Ulf Kristersson
According to the Vårdförbundet, the situation is completely locked, and the union is now turning to politics.
The association believes that there are references to Sweden’s membership in NATO included in the proposal for an agreement, and the preparedness that should exist then.
– This is a much bigger issue than a normal contract movement. We who work in professions that are vital for individuals and for society shoulder the responsibility in all events. But no one has spoken about our members having to pay with their health for the rearmament of the civil defense. We demand that SKR withdraw the proposal. And we want an answer from Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson – is it through cutbacks and worse conditions that Swedish healthcare is to be equipped, wonders Sineva Ribeiro in the same speech.
The newspaper Care focus has asked SKR for a comment on the Swedish Healthcare Association’s approach to NATO, but the organization replies that it has nothing to comment on as long as mediation is ongoing.
