Today, the largest LO union Kommunal comes with new demands in the collective bargaining movement. Abolished qualifying period deductions in the event of illness and retroactive salary are new requirements that Kommunal will pursue.
Now that the wage negotiations are restarting, Kommunal also sees the chance of getting more secure employment, something that the union did not get through in the stranded las negotiations.
– We have postponed the contract movement from March 31 until now and we should have paid for that, of course. But then we also raise the qualifying period deduction, it will never come back for members of Kommunal who work in municipalities and regions, says union president Tobias Baudin.
When the labor market parties are now shifting their focus from las negotiations to bargaining, the largest LO union Kommunal is shifting its demands.
Already before, Kommunal wants more than others. When the industry demands a 3 percent wage increase, Kommunal has set a demand for a 3.5 percent wage increase for all professionally trained members in health care, school and care.
The Federal Board has now decided on extended contractual requirements which will be handed over to the other party’s municipalities and regions later today.
New wage agreements would have been ready this spring but were postponed due to the corona crisis, now the municipalities will be paid in arrears, says Tobias Baudin.
– It is actually the members of Kommunal, those who work in elderly care, healthcare and school who have taken Sweden through this corona crisis, you have to pay for that.
Municipal also requires that the qualifying period deduction for those who become ill, and who have been temporarily abolished, shall be removed completely. If this is to be possible in a collective agreement, the law must first be changed.
– Make sure to change the legislation now so that we have the opportunity to pursue this issue in the collective bargaining movement, says Tobias Baudin.
In the las negotiations the unions had no opportunity to resort to conflict to get through their demands. But several unions are now raising issues of job security in the bargaining movement, and that is where the strike weapon is.
– Our input in these las negotiations was that you have to get more secure jobs. We want to do something about fixed-term employment. Now we did not come all the way and then we do the contract route instead. After twelve months, you must have a permanent full-time employment, that is our absolute requirement, says Tobias Baudin.