ICEM MNC seminar 13th-15th October, Serang, Indonesia Industrial Unionism in Sweden IF Metall History, organization and priorities

Swedish labour market 3 Confederation SACO, 23 unions and 500 000 members TCO, 15 unions and 1 300 000 members LO, 15 unions and 1 500 000 members Employers organization

History of IF Metall 1888 Swedish Metall workers union 1915 - 1948 lot of mergers 1993 Sv. Metall workers and Miners union 2006 Industrial union and Sv Metall workers became IF Metall

IF Metall organization 350 000 members 40 000 representatives 52 regional offices 12 500 workplaces 70 % organization rate 1.76 % membership fee in average 350 SEK Extra fee for unemployment fund 250 SEK

IF Metall organization Congress : Supreme decision-making body Aims and direction for the future ( 3 year ) Every third year 300 delegates from all over Sweden

IF Metall organization Head office : Tool for the executive board Implement the decisions taken by the congress Support the local organization Labour law,negotiations,working conditions,union education,international matters,social policy and more

The core of the trade union !! Collective agreements are based on a promise that we industrial workers have made to each other. This promise means that nobody will be able to force industrial workers like us to work for lower wages or in worse conditions than stipulated in the collective agreement.

The core of the trade union As the same time those who are unemployed must have reasonable incomes. That is why there is an unemployment fund. It was also the trade movement that raised the demands and took the initiatives that led to other social insurance benefits we have today. All this together provides general security for all of us.

IF Metall Agreements 41 national collective agreements Regulate : Employment,minimum wages,working hours,rules for piece-rates and monthly wages,overtime pay, insurance,holiday pay,

Priorities of the Executive Committee 2010 Change of Government Sign new national collective agreements Recruit new members and give good information about IF Metall Encourage new members to become active, specially young members and woman Strengthen the organization locally and centrally, improve the dialogue and mean of cooperation

Priorities for IF Metall Better working environment Security at work during changes Organize temporary (CAL ) workers Training for local union reps.

Collective bargaining Collective agreement Many employers in Sweden would like to avoid national agreements on wage rises so that they themselves can decide on increases and who is going to get them Same old employer strategy all over the world

National collective agreements National collective agreements enable us to avoid disputes and offer our labour in return for reasonable wages and decent working conditions

But, national collective agreements is not enough….. We need a close cooperation with a union friendly Labour Party so we can influens political decisions More union reps. inside the political parliament

This cooperation/links have given us…. The Employment protection Act The Codetermination in the workplace Act The Trade union representative Act The Work Environment Act Annual Leave Act Parental leave Act

Thanks for your attention and please make comments..