Unionen has previously withdrawn from negotiations over a collective agreement for Unionen members at Klarna. Now, Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer (Sweden's Engineers) have issued a strike notice against Klarna Bank AB.
Publicerad 26 okt. 2023
"We seek influence, secure conditions and the possibility of outplacement service. We've waited long enough. Unionen members at Klarna want to establish a collective agreement," said Sen Kanner, chairman of Unionen's Klarna club.
The effort to secure a collective agreement at Klarna has been ongoing for several years. In 2020, members formed a club at Klarna with the aim of establishing a collective agreement.
"For Unionen, it is self-evident that companies operating in Sweden have collective agreements, and negotiations on agreements for Klarna members have been ongoing since March.
Klarna has repeatedly cancelled and postponed previously scheduled negotiation sessions throughout this process. They have also failed to fulfill agreed commitments. Unfortunately, we see no other option but to issue a strike notice," said Martin Wästfelt, Unionen's chief negotiator.
Unionen's view is that Klarna is concerned about the employee influence that a collective agreement entails.
"We are not willing to condition the signing of a collective agreement on reduced employee influence. However, there is both the opportunity and a willingness on Unionen's part to adapt local cooperation to the company's model, but first, we want to have a collective agreement in place," said Martin Wästfelt.
If no agreement is reached, the strike notice will take effect on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at 10:30 am.
"Our hope is that we can reach an agreement before a conflict erupts. Our door is open for us to reach a collective agreement," said Martin Wästfelt.
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Unionen's Call to the Tech Sector: Embrace Collective Agreements!
Nine out of ten employees in the Swedish job market benefit from the security and stability provided by collective agreements. However, in the tech industry, many companies choose to remain outside the Swedish labor market model. It's high time for the tech sector to step up as responsible employers and uphold the Swedish model.
Collective agreements foster security and predictability for employees while granting them a say in their workplace. The Swedish labor market model establishes order and structure, with market players taking responsibility and shaping the rules through negotiations. This approach allows for industry-specific adaptation and flexibility, a far cry from state-mandated regulations.
Companies that eschew collective agreements are taking a significant risk. Employees demand secure conditions, stable pension plans, and opportunities for education and retraining. Becoming part of the Swedish model is a fundamental requirement for serious, long-term investments. In the highly competitive tech industry, firms without collective agreements also risk losing their attractiveness.
There are many examples of "new" sector companies embracing collective agreements, but numerous major tech companies have yet to do so.
Unionen's congress and the Unionen as an association will always stand behind and support members seeking collective agreements in their workplaces. Always!
Unionen's Congress 2023 declares:
It's high time for the tech industry to act as responsible employers and uphold the Swedish model!
