Conflict and industrial action

Our intervention in employment conflicts may lead to the establishment of collective agreements and other action that benefits our members.

Our union representatives always seek to resolve conflicts with employers through negotiation. If we’re unable to reach a settlement however, industrial action may be taken.

If no collective agreements have been made with your employer, your right to take industrial action is constitutionally protected.

Key terms:

  • Strikes - employees cease work.
  • Blockades – employees cease to carry out certain tasks or services. For example, an overtime ban or a blockade on recruiting new employees to replace striking workers.
  • Neutrality – employees have the right to refuse, if asked to carry out tasks related to an industrial dispute (strike or blockade). For example, tasks normally performed by employees who are on strike.
  • Lockouts - employers may use refuse employees admission to their workplace, or parts of it, in industrial disputes. If employers cease paying salaries in these cases, members will receive conflict compensation from the union.
  • Secondary industrial action (or sympathy action) – members of a trade union or employers' organization taking action in support of the members of other unions or employers’ organizations.
  • Notification of a dispute - a written warning, issued in compliance with employment legislation, establishing deadlines and formal rules. These are used to apply pressure in negotiations and in preparation for industrial action, as well as determining which union members will participate. For example, a notification may advocate a complete or partial shutdown of all work at certain workplaces. All members are required to participate in industrial action decided on their behalf by Finansförbundet.

If you have any questions, you’re always welcome to contact Member Services.

Contact Member Services

Questions and answers

In order to put pressure on employers, a trade union may resort to conflict measures. For example, in the renegotiation a collective agreement.

In negotiations with employers that employ union members but do not have a collective agreement, dispute notifications may also be issued and conflict measures taken. A union can also conduct secondary industrial action in sympathy with conflicts involving other unions.

Before conflict measures are initiated, a trade union must notify and forewarn the other party. Employers must receive a warning from the union that it intends to carry out conflict measures, if no agreement is reached. Trade unions may impose blockades or carry out strike action, while employers may enforce a lockout.

Dispute notifications must be given at least seven working days in advance before industrial action can be taken. A notification document must be issued, which describes, among other things, why it is being issued and what measures will be taken - for example, a strike. When a dispute notification has be issued, a representative of Medlingsinstitutet (the Swedish Mediation Institute) is appointed to mediate in the negotiations.

Members involved in industrial action can read information about the dispute and possible action from the central union office and/or their local union.

The Swedish Mediation Institute is a government agency that is overseen by arbetsmarknadsdepartementet (the Swedish Ministry of Labor Markets). It has three primary tasks: to ensure well-functioning salary structures, mediate in industrial disputes and organize wage statistics. In disputes between representative organizations - such as employer organizations and trade unions – special mediators from the institute negotiate collective agreements on wages and general employment conditions.

If your union announces a strike, as a member, you must participate in it. Failure to do so may result in expulsion.

You cannot be dual-affiliated - a member of two unions. Your first union has to be notified if you refuse to participate in a strike.

Your union will compensate you for loss of income in the event of a strike or lockout.

In connection with its decisions on conflict measures and secondary industrial action, the union’s governing board will decide how much compensation will be paid.

You may be expelled from a union if you refuse to take part in a strike it has called. Among other things, this may mean that you receive the minimum level of income insurance. Income insurance provides financial protection if you become unemployment and supplements the social security fund.

This depends on how your trade union reacts to the conflict. If your union takes a neutral stance, you should carry out your normal work duties. However, you have the right to refuse to carry out the work of striking employees.

If your union decides to take secondary industrial action, you are obliged to participate. 

If a union cannot reach an agreement with an employer, they may ask other unions to carry out secondary action, such as strikes, in solidarity. Secondary action increases the pressure on employers.

You may risk being expelled by your union if you refuse to participate in secondary action it has called.

Firstly, you must contact your current union and inform them of your intention to leave.

As long as there is no gap between your membership of the previous and current union, the conditions of your unemployment insurance will be unaffected. In all cases, you must also be a member of a-kassa, the Swedish unemployment fund.

You have the right to strike if you are not a union member, although you will not receive compensation for loss of earnings.

Are you an international employee working within Finance in Sweden? Do you have any questions regarding the Swedish parts model and how it works? – Welcome to Finansförbundets webinar!
Inter­na­tional in Swedish Finance?
A collective agreement offers better working conditions. Specifically, it’s a mutual agreement between the trade union and employers about how your work should be carried out.
Collective agre­e­ments - they benefit both employers and employees