The Swedish trade union move-
ment has long maintained that vol-
untary agreements are more import-
ant than legislation.

However, a feature of the seven-
ties has been their failure to settle a
number of important issues by
agreements, because resistance
from the employers’ confederation
(SAF) has been too strong. The op-
position became stronger in the sev-
enties in response to the increased
force of the workers’ demands.

The workers were not satisfied
with token consultation and limited
information. They demanded a real
limitation of the employers’ power
and were compelled to turn to legis-
lation in order to advance in that
direction. : :

‘As the Swedish Confederation of
Trade Unions (LO) points out, leg-
islation covers all places of work
and not only those where collective
agreements apply, thus making it
possible for unions to deal with im-
portant issues on which agreement
could not be reached. The close re-
lationship between the LO and the
Social Democratic Party while the
latter formed the government
(1932-76) had certain negative. fea-
tures, but it also had some positive
features. No Social Democratic
government could afford to ignnore
completely the demands of organiz-
ed workers.

A brief summary of some of the
more important legislation follows:
Joint Regulation In
Working Life Act

While this act consolidates pre-
vious legislation pertaining to col-
lective bargaining and employee-
employer relations, it also contains
certain innovative features, such as:

1) The principle whereby the em-

ployer alone was entitled to organ-
ize and assign work and could freely
engage and dismiss workers has
. been replaced by a statutory provi-

sion that collective agreements be
concluded setting out the rights of
the workers in respect to joint
regulation.

2) Should a dispute arise over a
worker’s obligation to perform a
certain task, or the implementation
of a joint regulation agreement, the
trade union that negotiated the
agreement with the employer enjoys
a priority right of interpretation. In
other workds, the ruling of the
trade union prevails unless other-
wise agreed to, or if the Labor
Court strikes down the union’s de-
cision.

LABOR
COMMENT

BY JACK PHILLIPS

3) In matters not covered by col-
lective agreements, the position of
thé union has been strengthened by
provisions giving wider powers of
negotiation and requiring the em-
ployer to provide fuller informa-
tion.

4) A trade union organization
having a collective agreement with
an employer is now empowered to
veto subcontracting or similar ar-
rangements which appear contrary
to the law or to a collective agree-
ment applying to the work in ques-
tion or which are otherwise are at
variance with accepted practice.

It should be noted that Swedish
workers are legally entitled to strike
in order to obtain a joint regulation
agreement even if their union is al-
ready bound by a collective agree-
ment on wages, provided the de-
mand for joint regulation was pre-
sented during wage negotiations.

5) An employer must now nego-
tiate with the trade unions on his

Labor, citizen coalitio
plans U.S. oil protest

Continued from page 1

Winpisinger said his members
plan to meet with their congression-
al representatives in cities across the
nation October 17 and then ‘‘pub-
licize whether the legislators are go-
ing to vote for the people orsupport
skyrocketing fuel prices and the
tightening grip of the oil
monopolies.”’

Fraser explained that the cam-.

paign for lower energy prices is en-
couraging its local supporters to
hold rallies, petition drives, teach-
ins and meetings with members of
Congress to demand that Congress
and the President reimpose price
controls and stop contrived short-
ages by forcing oil refineries to op-
erate at full capacity.

Fraser said the campaign would
also demand appointment of ‘‘a
special prosecutor to prosecute
price gougers and shortage manipu-
lators.”’

The UAW president also urged
the creation of a taxpayer-owned
energy corporation to explore for
oil and gas on federal lands and to
promote new technology.

In addition to the UAW postcard

campaign, the Machinists have al-

ready collected a half million post-
cards supporting these demands.

Meanwhile, consumer advocate
Ralph Nader hailed the UAW’s na-
tionwide work stoppage against en-
ergy ripoffs. He declared, ‘‘the auto
workers’ action is a dramatic sign of

the public’s rejection of exorbitant-"

ly high energy prices and manipu-
lated shortages. By October 17, we
hope that millions of Americans

UAW president Douglas Fraser
shows bags filled with more
than a million postcards addres-
sed to U.S. President Carter de-
manding action to end the
energy ripoff.

will join the campaign and send a
message to big oil, the president,
and Congress — all of whom have
allowed consumers to suffer under
monopoly energy prices.”’

Winpisinger concluded that Car-
ter’s decontrol decision ‘‘allows Ex-
xon, Mobit, Gulf and the others to
charge as much as they want for oil.
It’s costing Americans about $3 bil-
lion a month, according to the Con-
gressional Budget Office.

“We are sick and tired of phony
shortages. We are sick and tired of
being blackmailed into paying out-
rageous prices for gasoline and
heating oil. Now we start fighting
back,’’ said Winpisinger.

The Progressive Alliance and the
CLEC have scheduled planning
meetings throughout the U.S. to
formulate the local protest actions.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE— SEPTEMBER 7, 1979—Page 12

Labor laws key aim 01

own initiative before deciding on
important changes at the work-
place, such as changing over to a
new line of business, reorganizing
production methods or selling the

firm. Changes affecting individual

workers, including personnel trans-
fers, also come within the scope of
the employer’s primary duty to ne-
gotiate. The employer must also ne-
gotiate if so requested by the union.

Where the parties cannot reach
agreement at the local level, the lo-
cal union may refer the matter to
the central trade union organiza-
tion. In that event, the. employer
must defer his decision or imple-
mentation until negotiations have
been completed at both levels.

If no agreement is reached at the
higher level, the employer is free to
make and implement his decision.

6) The act makes it the duty of
every employer to keep the local
workers’ organization with which
he has a collective agreement in-
formed of the financial and produc-
tion aspects of his business and the
principles on which his personnel
policy is based. The workers’
organization is also entitled to ex-
amine accounts and _ their
documents to the extent necessary
in order to protect the interests of
its membership.

A recent pamphlet published by
the Swedish Ministry of Labor
makes an interesting comment on
the position of the parliamentary

group of the Swedish Left Party-  .

Communists when this legislation
was introduced in parliament: —

_ “The Communist Party. (VPK)
differs fundamentally from the
other parties in its views concerning
labor legislation. Among other
things, it demanded that workers’
interpretation of an agreement
should be binding on the employer.
The Labor Court should be abol-
ished and any disputes that might
arise concerning the implementa-
tion of legislation should be tried by
an ordinary court of law. The Com-
munist Party also demanded that
trade union organizations be given
powers of veto in a large number of

. matters, including all company de-

cisions on investments. It further
aoe that the obligation to re-
_frain from direct action during the
term of a collective agreement
should be rescinded.’’

In addition, the Communist par-

: liamentary group was critical of cer-

tain restrictions placed on public
employees and called for a bill en-
titling public employees to conclude
agreements in all matters and
conceding unlimited power of strike
action.

Security Of Employment Act

Basically this act applies to the
majority of private and public em-
ployees, with exceptions for mana-
gerial categories and members of an
employer’s family. Special provi-
sions apply to civil servants, with
specific limitations. ~

The act contains the provision

» that there must be reasonable cause

for notice of termination of em-
ployment. A dispute concerning the
validity of the notice can be brought
before a court of law. An employee
is generally entitled to retain his em-
ployment pending the final settle-
ment of the dispute.

There is a minimum of one
month’s notice. An employee who
has worked for the same employer
for a specified period and is 25 or
over is entitled to a longer period of
notice. The period increases with
the age of the employee, to a maxi-
mum of six months for workers 45
or over.

Different rules may apply under a
collective agreement, providing for
longer periods of notice. The basic
rule provides that an employee is
entitled to full: pay during this
period’and has the right to be ab-
sent while looking for work.

Unionists demonstrate in Stockholm demanding ‘economic demo
racy’ through legislation guaranteeing workers’ rights.

Full wages are payable in connec-
tion with temporary layoffs lasting
more than two consecutive weeks or
totalling more than 30 days in any
one calendar year. The act estab-
lished the principle of “‘last in, first
out’’ in cases of layoff due to lack
of work. An employee given notice -
of lack of work is entitled, for a pe-
riod of one year, to first option on
new jobs.

In the event of layoff due to lack
of work, the employer must first try
to find other jobs for the persons in
question within the company. All
persons taken on by a firm must by
law be employed for an indefinite
period unless otherwise agreed to,
as in cases of temporary or seasonal
employment and trainee contracts. ~

Status Of Shop Stewards
At Work Place

Shop stewards are workers em-
ployed by a firm who serve as union
representatives on the job. They are
either elected by their fellow work-
ers or appointed by the local union.
The act lays down the following
provisions in respect to shop

_ stewards:

1) A shop steward may not be
obstructed by his employer in the
discharge of his duty. Neither can
he be allotted inferior conditions of
employment because of his union
duties. :

2) In the event of cutbacks in

staff, the shop steward is to be .

given priority in the matter of con-
tinued employment, provided that
his union duties are of particular
importance to the work place.

RiBUNE:

—LO phot

3) The shop steward is entitled)
the leave of absence he requires "|
perform his duties, as determin@
by agreement with the employ®
Union business concerning
work place may be carried out du!
ing working hours. ay G

* * *

- In this and in my previous artic
I have tried to present a more b#)
anced picture than certain lab)
leaders who went to Sweden a
came back to. praise the virtues °
“Swedish socialism.’’ There is ™)
socialism in Sweden, unless by 9°
cialism we mean a system une
which 90 per cent of the economy
under private ownership.

However, there is a powerll)
trade union movement which in #
cent years has shown an increas
resistance to the official policies ®
class collaboration. I have ev
reason to believe that as the crisis?
capitalism in Sweden becomes Mm?”
aggravated (and it is heading in
direction) we will see more Sif!
tions like that of April of this Y¥

In that month workers in 50 7
terprises, involving from 3,000 F
8,000 workers in each case, staé
short strikes to demand hig”.
wages, in opposition to governm*
policy on voluntary wage rest!
It is unusual for Swedish worke”
under strong Social Democratic”
fluence to go on strike once the®
tral negotiations between thé em
ployers’ organizations and the 1,
unions have been concluded, 4 |
this case, but it will happen ag@™
am sure. 3

the!

u

Address
City or town
Postal Code

BON NN NN NS SSE

Read the paper that fights for labor

1 am enclosing:
1 year $10 (1 2 years $18 6 months $6 0