Negotiating a new Swedish model [Elektronisk resurs] Employment transition agreements and the struggle over redundancies

• This article is aimed to contribute to our knowledge regarding employer and employee preferences about employment security and unemployment income protection as well as the degree of neoliberal change during the last decades through the lens of collective bargaining. It charts the institutional–historical development of an Employment Transition Agreement (ETA) between the bargaining cartel for white-collar unions, PTK, and the organisation for private employers, SAF/SN. ETAs are a form of institution through which Swedish trade unions and employer organisations give employees added protection in the event of redundancies, mostly in the form of added income protection but also matching services and shorter training programmes. Drawing from archival material and published statements in newspapers, the article engages with what the organisations wanted from such agreements during negotiations and how this shifted during the decades. The results show that the agreements have given employees added unemployment income protection while at the same time giving employees greater flexibility during collective lay-offs. It also shows how the agreement initially was more focused on employment security and proactive investments in skills. But when the balance of power shifted in favour of employers, PTK had to give up any such ambitions. 

Ämnesord

Social Sciences  (hsv)

Economics and Business  (hsv)

Economic History  (hsv)

Samhällsvetenskap  (hsv)

Ekonomi och näringsliv  (hsv)

Ekonomisk historia  (hsv)

Genre

government publication  (marcgt)

Indexterm och SAB-rubrik

Collective agreements

employment security

industrial relations

Sweden

unemployment protection