Swedish Trade Union Confederation

Organization of trade unions in the Scandinavian country

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Swedish Trade Union Confederation

Landsorganisationen i Sverige (LO)

Founded| 7 August 1898; 127 years ago (1898-08-07)
Headquarters| Stockholm, Sweden
Location|

* Sweden

Members| 1.23 million

Key people

| Johan Lindholm,[1] president
Affiliations| ITUC, ETUC
Website| www.lo.se

The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (Swedish: Landsorganisationen i Sverige [ˈlânː(d)sɔrɡanɪsaˌɧuːnɛn iː ˈsvæ̌rjɛ] ⓘ; literally "The National Organisation in Sweden"), commonly referred to as LO ([ˈɛ̂lːuː] ⓘ), is a national trade union centre, an umbrella organisation for fourteen Swedish trade unions that organise mainly "blue-collar" workers. The Confederation, which gathers around 1.5 million employees out of Sweden's 10 million people population, was founded in 1898 by blue-collar unions on the initiative of the 1897 Scandinavian Labour Congress and the Swedish Social Democratic Party, which almost exclusively was made up by trade unions.[2] In 2019 union density of Swedish blue-collar workers was 60%,[3] a decline by seventeen percentage points since 2006 when blue-collar union density was 77%. A strong contributing factor was the considerably raised fees to union unemployment funds in January 2007 made by the new centre-right government.[4][5]

## History

[edit]

Further information: Swedish labour movement

## Organisation

[edit]

LO-borgen (Swedish: 'the LO-castle'), the landmark LO headquarters building by Swedish architect Ferdinand Boberg, at Norra Bantorget in Stockholm. 59°20′8.9″N 18°3′17.2″E﻿ / ﻿59.335806°N 18.054778°E﻿ / 59.335806; 18.054778

The fourteen affiliates of the Swedish Trade Union Confederation span both the private and the public sector.[6] The member unions are fully independent, with the role of the Confederation limited to the co-ordination of wage bargaining, international activities, trade union education and other areas. Another important task is to promote the organisation's views to decision-makers and the general public. It also has representatives on the governing bodies of many government authorities. The Confederation is also responsible for research and signing labour market insurance schemes. The member unions, however, carry the responsibility for the administration of the unemployment insurance funds.

While its Danish sister organisation, the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, cut its formal ties to the country's Social Democratic party in 1995, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation maintains a strong cooperation with the Social Democrats. Although the organisations are independent from each other, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation has a representative on the party's executive committee elected by the Party Congress. Also, both the Confederation and the member unions contribute substantial amounts of money to the party.

Until 1987 there was a system of collective membership in the Social Democratic Party for members in the confederation, in which the local union could apply for membership in the Social Democratic Party, effectively enrolling all its members into the Social Democratic Party. (An individual could decline to be part of this collective membership.)

In 1956 social democratic newspaper Stockholms-Tidningen was acquired by the Swedish Trade Union Confederation.[7] Until recently, it owned 50.1% of the evening newspaper Aftonbladet, the largest daily newspaper in Scandinavia (as of 2005[update]). As of 2012, the organisation owns 9% of the newspaper. The organisation bought Aftonbladet in 1956 but sold off 49.9 percent to the Norwegian media company Schibsted on 2 May 1996.

The number of member unions has been reduced by mergers. Most recently the Forest and Wood Workers' Union and the Graphic Workers' Union merged into the single GS Union on 1 June 2009.

## Affiliates

[edit]

### Current affiliates

[edit]

Membership of LO affiliates (31 December 2018)[8] Union  | Abbreviation  | Founded  | Men  | Women  | Total  | Change (2017)

|
|
|
|
|
|

Swedish Building Workers' Union | Byggnads  | 1949  | 77 512  | 1 218  | 78 730  |  409
Swedish Electricians' Union | SEF  | 1906  | 18 518  | 456  | 18 974  |  333
Swedish Building Maintenance Workers' Union | Fastighets  | 1936  | 13 624  | 12 700  | 26 324  |  718
GS | GS  | 2009  | 31 987  | 6 861  | 38 848  |  1 096
Swedish Commercial Employees' Union | Handels  | 1906  | 45 665  | 77 672  | 123 337  |  1 001
Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union | HRF  | 1918  | 10 949  | 16 017  | 26 966  |  921
IF Metall | IF Metal  | 2006  | 200 292  | 46 543  | 246 835  |  305
Swedish Municipal Workers' Union | Kommunal  | 1910  | 108 426  | 391 728  | 500 154  |  7 333
Swedish Food Workers' Union | Livs  | 1922  | 15 317  | 8 041  | 23 358  |  1 062
Swedish Painters' Union | Målarna  | 1887  | 9 833  | 1 277  | 11 110  |  47
Swedish Paper Workers' Union | Pappers  | 1920  | 11 722  | 2 190  | 13 912  |  370
Swedish Union for Service and Communications Employees | Seko  | 1970  | 53 981  | 18 175  | 72 156  |  960
Swedish Musicians' Union | SMF  | 1907  | 1 805  | 469  | 2 274  |  13
Swedish Transport Workers' Union | Transport  | 1897  | 41 494  | 8 343  | 49 837  |  1 889
TOTAL |  |  | 641 125 | 591 690 | 1 232 815 |  15 575
|  |  | 52% | 48% |  |  1.25%

### Former affiliates

[edit]

Union | Abbreviation[9] | Founded | Left | Reason not affiliated | Membership (1910)[10] | Membership (1954)[11]

|
|
|
|
|
|

Employees' Union of State Power Stations | KPF | 1921 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | N/A | 1,173
State Hospital Personnel Union | SSF | 1908 | 1967 | Merged into Kommunal | 347 | 7,928
Stockholm Union of Sculptors |  | 1896 | 1910 | Dissolved | 32 | N/A
Swedish Agricultural Workers' Union | SLF | 1908 | 2001 | Merged into Kommunal | 1,752 | 38,980
Swedish Bakery and Confectionery Workers' Union | Bageri | 1896 | 1922 | Merged into Livs | 3,168 | N/A
Swedish Boilermakers' Union | SDF | 1903 | 1948 | Merged into Fabriks | 154 | N/A
Swedish Bookbinders' Union | SBbaf | 1893 | 1973 | Merged into GF | 1,176 | 11,391
Swedish Brewery Industry Workers' Union | SBiaf | 1899 | 1965 | Merged into Livs | 2,045 | 7,939
Swedish Bricklayers' Union | Murare | 1890 | 1961 | Merged into Byggnads | 4,082 | 15,594
Swedish Building Wood Workers' Union | Btaf | 1924 | 1949 | Merged into Byggnads | N/A | N/A
Swedish Butchers' Union | Slakteri | 1904 | 1922 | Merged into Livs | 321 | N/A
Swedish Chimney Sweeps' Union | SSf | 1919 | 1981 | Merged into Kommunal | N/A | 963
Swedish Civil Administration's Employees' Union | CPF | 1905 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | 220 | 6,676
Swedish Clothing Workers' Union | SBaf | 1889 | 1972 | Merged into Beklädnads | 2,091 | 37,959
Swedish Cooperage Union | Tunnbinderi | 1892 | 1936 | Merged into Trä | 314 | N/A
Swedish Defence Forces Civilian Employees' Union | FCPF | 1917 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | N/A | 20,016
Swedish Factory Workers' Union | Fabriks | 1891 | 1993 | Merged into IF | 20,195 | 63,086
Swedish Forest and Wood Workers' Union | Skogs- o Trä | 1998 | 2009 | Merged into GS | N/A | N/A
Swedish Forest Workers' Union | SSAF | 1918 | 1998 | Merged into Skogs- o Trä | N/A | 36,486
Swedish Foundry Workers' Union | Gjutare | 1893 | 1964 | Merged into Metall | 2,588 | 11,408
Swedish Gilders' and Glaziers' Union | Förgylleri o Glas | 1900 | 1913 | Dissolved | 282 | N/A
Swedish Graphic Workers' Union | GF | 1973 | 2009 | Merged into GS | N/A | N/A
Swedish Industrial Union | IF | 1993 | 2006 | Merged into IF Metall | N/A | N/A
Swedish Hairdressers' Union | FAF | 1906 | 1989 | Merged into Handels | 46 | 4,407
Swedish Hat and Fur Workers' Union | Hatt o Päls | 1922 | 1933 | Merged into SBaf | N/A | N/A
Swedish Hat Workers' Union | Hatt | 1903 | 1922 | Merged into Hatt o Päls | 117 | N/A
Swedish Lithographic Union | Litograf | 1904 | 1973 | Merged into GF | 240 | 4,712
Swedish Metalworkers' Union | Metall | 1888 | 2006 | Merged into IF Metall | 30,826 | 234,157
Swedish Miners' Union | Gruv | 1895 | 1994 | Merged into Metall | 2,442 | 11,939
Swedish Post Union | SPF | 1886 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | 2,658 | 17,986
Swedish Prison Employees' Union | Vårdpers | 1906 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | 496 | 1,557
Swedish Pulp Operators' Union | SP | 1920 | 1946 | Merged into Pappers | N/A | N/A
Swedish Railway Employees' Union | SJMF | 1899 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | 18,022 | 64,834
Swedish Road Workers' Union | SVaf | 1914 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | N/A | 16,640
Swedish Saddlemakers' and Upholsterers' Union | SSoT | 1890 | 1962 | Dissolved | 666 | 5,573
Swedish Sailors' Union | SSF | 1932 | 1996 | Merged into SEKO | N/A | 14,487
Swedish Saw Mill Industry Workers Union | Sågverks | 1897 | 1949 | Merged into SSAF | 3,732 | N/A
Swedish Sheet Metal Workers' Union | SBOP | 1893 | 2000 | Merged into Byggnads | 1,512 | 3,505
Swedish Shoe and Leather Workers' Union | SSoL | 1888 | 1972 | Merged into Beklädnads | 3,528 | 10,882
Swedish Social Insurance Employees' and Insurance Agents' Union | FF | 1918 | 2002 | Disaffiliated | N/A | 7,947
Swedish Stone Industry Workers' Union | Sten | 1897 | 1970 | Dissolved | 3,053 | 5,328
Swedish Stucco Workers' Union | Stuckatör | 1904 | 1948 | Dissolved | 53 | N/A
Swedish Tele Union | SvT | 1901 | 1970 | Merged into SEKO | 705 | 20,718
Swedish Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Union | Beklädnads | 1972 | 1993 | Merged into IF | N/A | N/A
Swedish Textile Workers' Union | Textil | 1898 | 1972 | Merged into Beklädnads | 3,443 | 41,864
Swedish Tile and Slab Workers' Union | SKoP | 1891 | 1946 | Merged into Fabriks | 428 | N/A
Swedish Tobacco Industry Workers' Union | Tobaks | 1889 | 1964 | Merged into Livs | 1,910 | 1,784
Swedish Typographers' Union | Typograf | 1886 | 1973 | Merged into GF | 4,022 | 15,804
Swedish Wood Industry Workers' Union | Trä | 1924 | 1998 | Merged into Skogs- o Trä | N/A | 60,321
Swedish Wood Workers' Union | Trä | 1889 | 1924 | Dissolved | 7,972 | N/A
Union of Waiters of the Göteborgssystem in Stockholm | GSSF | 1905 | 1910 | Dissolved | 125 | N/A
United Unions | DFF | 1905 | 1962 | Dissolved | 1,707 | 14,687

## List of chairmen

[edit]

* Fredrik Sterky, 1898–1900
* Herman Lindqvist, 1900–1920
* Arvid Thorberg, 1920–1930
* Edvard Johanson, 1930–1936
* Albert Forslund, February–September 1936
* August Lindberg, 1936–1947
* Axel Strand, 1947–1956
* Arne Geijer, 1956–1973
* Gunnar Nilsson, 1973–1983
* Stig Malm, 1983–1993
* Bertil Jonsson, 1994–2000
* Wanja Lundby-Wedin, 2000—2012
* Karl-Petter Thorwaldsson, 2012–2020
* Susanna Gideonsson, 2020–2024
* Johan Lindholm, 2024–present[12]

## See also

[edit]

* Organised labour portal

* Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (Danish LO)
* Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (Norwegian LO)
* Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO)
* Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (SACO)
* Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden (SAC, Swedish trade union not connected to LO)
* Rehn–Meidner Model

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Bohlin, Albin (20 May 2024). "Efter avhoppet: Byggnads ordförande vald till ny LO-boss". Altinget.se. Altinget. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
2. ^ Torvald Karlbom Den svenska fackföreningsrörelsen, Stockholm: Tidens förlag, pp. 45-47
3. ^ Yearly average in 2019. See Anders Kjellberg (2020) Kollektivavtalens täckningsgrad samt organisationsgraden hos arbetsgivarförbund och fackförbund, Department of Sociology, Lund University. Studies in Social Policy, Industrial Relations, Working Life and Mobility. Research Reports 2020:1, Appendix 3 (in English) Table A
4. ^ Anders Kjellberg "The Decline in Swedish Union Density since 2007" Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies (NJWLS) Vol. 1. No 1 (August 2011), pp. 67-93
5. ^ Anders Kjellberg and Christian Lyhne Ibsen (2016) "Attacks on union organizing: Reversible and irreversible changes to the Ghent-systems in Sweden and Denmark", in Trine Pernille Larsen and Anna Ilsøe (eds.)(2016) Den Danske Model set udefra - komparative perspektiver på dansk arbejdsmarkedsregulering, Copenhagen: Jurist- og Økonomforbundets Forlag, p. 292
6. ^ "This is LO". The Swedish Trade Union Confederation. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
7. ^ Ingemar Oscarsson (2003). "Development of the Swedish press and journalism since the Thirty Years War until today". In Hartmut Walravens; Edmund King (eds.). Newspapers in International Librarianship: Papers Presented by the Newspaper Section at IFLA General Conferences. Munich: IFLA Publications. p. 18\. ISBN 978-3-11-096279-6.
8. ^ Kjellberg, Anders (2017). "The Membership Development of Swedish Trade Unions and Union Confederations Since the End of the Nineteenth Century" (PDF). Lund University. p. 188. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
9. ^ Kjellberg, Anders (2017). The Membership Development of Swedish Trade Unions and Union Confederations Since the End of the Nineteenth Century. Lund University. ISBN 978-9172673106.
10. ^ Kjellberg, Anders (2017). The Membership Development of Swedish Trade Unions and Union Confederations Since the End of the Nineteenth Century. Lund University. p. 198\. ISBN 978-9172673106.
11. ^ Mitchell, James P. (1955). Directory of Labor Organizations: Europe. Washington DC: United States Department of Labor. pp. 27.19 – 27.34.
12. ^ Bohlin, Albin (20 May 2024). "Efter avhoppet: Byggnads ordförande vald till ny LO-boss". Altinget.se. Altinget. Retrieved 21 May 2024.

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European Trade Union Confederation

Portals: Organized Labour, European Union

Members|

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Trade unions in Sweden

Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO)|

* Building Maintenance Workers' Union (Fastighets)
* Building Workers' Union (Byggnads)
* Commercial Employees' Union (Handels)
* Electricians' Union (SEF)
* Food Workers' Union (Livs)
* GS Union
* Hotel and Restaurant Workers' Union (HRF)
* IF Metall
* Municipal Workers' Union (Kommunal)
* Musicians' Union (SMF)
* Painters' Union
* Paper Workers' Union (Pappers)
* Transport Workers' Union (Transport)
* Union for Service and Communications Employees (SEKO)

Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees (TCO)|

* Association of Health Professionals
* Forena
* Financial Sector Union
* Försvarsförbundet
* Police Union
* Union of Journalists
* Union of Civil Servants (ST)
* Förbundet folkhögskollärarna
* Union of Professional Musicians
* Union for Performing Arts and Film
* TULL-KUST
* Unionen
* Vision

Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations (Saco)|

* Akademikerförbundet SSR
* Akavia
* DIK
* Sveriges Arbetsterapeuter
* Kyrkans Akademikerförbund
* Lärarnas riksförbund
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* Sveriges skolledarförbund
* Sveriges Tandläkarförbund
* Teachers' Union
* Sveriges universitetslärare och forskare
* Sveriges veterinärförbund

Others|

* Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden

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Swedish Social Democratic Party

Leadership|

| Leaders|

* Tholin
* Branting
* Hansson
* Erlander
* Palme
* Carlsson
* Persson
* Sahlin
* Juholt
* Löfven
* Andersson

|

General Secretary|

* Ziesnitz
* Wickman
* Ström
* Möller
* Lindström (acting)
* A. Nilsson (acting)
* T. Nilsson
* Andersson
* Aspling
* St. Andersson
* Toresson
* Sahlin
* Linde
* Thalén
* Stjernkvist
* Ulvskog
* Baylan
* Jämtin
* Rådström Baastad
* Baudin

Riksdag Group Leader|

* Bergqvist
* Hulterström
* Bohlin Olsson
* Österberg
* Moberg
* Damberg
* Eneroth
* Ygeman
* Karlsson
* Carlsson
* Hallengren

In government position|

* Branting I (1920)
* Branting II (1921–1923)
* Branting III (1924–1925)
* Sandler (1925–1926)
* Hansson I (1932–1936)
* Hansson II (1936–1939)1
* Hansson III (1939–1945)2
* Hansson IV (1945–1946)
* Erlander I (1946–1951)
* Erlander II (1951–1957)1
* Erlander III (1957–1969)
* Palme I (1969–1976)
* Palme II (1982–1986)
* Carlsson I (1986–1990)
* Carlsson II (1990–1991)
* Carlsson III (1994–1996)
* Persson (1996–2006)
* Löfven I (2014–2019)3
* Löfven II (2019–2021)3
* Löfven III (2021)3
* Andersson (2021–2022)

Related organisations|

* HBT-socialdemokraterna
* Religious Social Democrats of Sweden ("Broderskapsrörelsen")
* Social Democratic Women in Sweden
* S-muslimska kvinnoklubben
* Swedish Social Democratic Youth League
* Social Democratic Students of Sweden
* Handikapprörelsens s-förening
* ABF
* People's Houses
* Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO)
* Verdandi
* Olof Palme International Center
* Unga Örnar
* Feministas
* Folksam
* Hyresgästföreningen
* Spero
* Kooperativa Förbundet (KF)
* Koopi
* Swedish National Pensioners' Organisation
* Riksbyggen
* A-lotterierna

Official media outlets|

* Aktuellt i Politiken
* Tiden

History and related topics|

* History of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
* Folkhemmet
* The Red-Greens
* Social democracy
* Kvinnliga arbetarklubben
* Stockholms Allmänna Kvinnoklubb
* Democratic socialism
* Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats

* 1 Coalition government with the Farmers' League
* 2 Grand coalition with the Farmers' League, the People's Party and the National Organization of the Right
* 3 Coalition government with the Green Party

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Trade unions in Europe

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