A huge Congratulations to the Swedish Docker’s Union for ending the conflict and reaching an agreement!

A huge Congratulations to the Swedish Docker’s Union for ending the conflict and reaching an agreement!

Collective agreements in the ports - the strike has been canceled.

After 47 years, the Hamnarbetarförbundet( Svenska Hamnarbetarförbundet) on Tuesday evening signed a collective agreement with the counterparts Sveriges Hamnar.

It is a pure second agreement. Without these problematic writings on local agreements that have existed before. That's all we have wanted since October, says Erik Helgeson to Flamman.

He admits that the new agreement is not perfect. Transport has still signed the first agreement, and parts of their agreements with the employer will also affect the members of the Harbor Workers' Union.

The collective agreement means that the Ports of Sweden will make concessions compared to the proposals presented by the mediators during the autumn and winter. 

Was it the strike threat that made this knot dissolve?

- What made them decide, I can't answer that. But that we have managed this depends on the cohesion the members have shown, even though the employer has chased them.

- It feels fucking good I have to say.

The new collective agreement means that the strike, where all members would close down work on Wednesday the sixth of March, will be canceled. 

The government has planned to impose a restriction on the right to strike on the second of May. The change of law has been seen as a direct response to the conflict in the harbor. If the message about the collective agreement changes on those plans, on Tuesday evening is still unclear.

Svenska Hamnarbetarförbundet

In the last weeks and days leading up to today's historical victory for the Swedish Dockworkers' Union, we've received critical support from our friends within the IDC International Dockworkers Council.

In the midst of this ever-escalating conflict in the Swedish ports, we've had too little time and resources to properly report on the international efforts to establish pressure on our counterparts. We will do so soon.

But until then, we want to express our gratitude to the International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO, Coordinadora Estatal de Trabajadores del Mar, CGT Confédération Générale du Travail and many other dockworker unions and activists around the world for your commitment and solidarity in this fight.

Thank you, Brothers and Sisters. We now have a national CBA for the first time in our union's 47 year history. We had to fight like hell to get here. But we did it. Together.