Abstract
The Swedish model of labour market regulation is known worldwide for its social partnership. Its functioning is ensured by the cooperation between labour market parties, which have jointly contributed in establishing a highly centralised system of collective bargaining ensuring a wide coverage of collective agreements. The model is further characterised by high degrees of trade union density and low level of conflictuality. Specifically, the Swedish model is marked by a ‘trade-off’ operated between the labour market parties: the trade unions have accepted to resort to collective action only as the ultimate means to solve industrial disputes, and in exchange the employer’s party has accepted to recognise a series of workplace representation rights to the trade unions.This pact is sealed by the signature of a collective agreement, which makes social peace obligations and employees’ rights of information, consultation and co-determination enter into force. By renouncing to the weapon of conflict, the union signing the collective agreement is rewarded with a series of work place representation rights that establish its positions before other unions and limit the managerial prerogative of the employer. This system promotes a strict single-channel system of workers representation that oscillates between guaranteeing universal workers’ rights and excluding those who do not permanently belong to such a system. This contribution aims at critically discussing the characteristics of the Swedish model of industrial citizenship through the prism of the challenges that it faces in relation with the dynamics of Europeanisation of the economy and industrial relations. In particular, the paper reviews the responses of the Swedish system to: a) the dynamics of decentralisation, and b) the dynamics of cross-border service provision including the posting of workers. In this context, the paper also presents and discusses the amendments to Lex Laval (the Act adopted to comply with the Laval case law of the Court of Justice of the EU) entered into force in June 2017.
Original language | English |
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Publication status | Published - 2018 |
Externally published | Yes |
Event | 18th International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) World Congress, COEX, Seoul, South Korea, July 23-27, 2018 - Duration: 1980-Jan-01 → … |
Conference
Conference | 18th International Labour and Employment Relations Association (ILERA) World Congress, COEX, Seoul, South Korea, July 23-27, 2018 |
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Period | 80-01-01 → … |
Swedish Standard Keywords
- Law and Society (50502)