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Absolut
12th February 2010, 19:15
I couldnt find any news about this in English, except for a blog-post.


Trash all over Stockholm
By Victor Bernhardtz

Remember the trash collector wildcat strike that broke out in Stockholm exactly one year ago? Yesterday [Feb 3], the labour court came to a decision on issues in the aftermath. In short, the court ruled in favour of the tra$h company who fired wildcat striking trash collectors who wouldn’t accept a monthly salary, instead of the piece wages traditionally paid in the industry.

The union organizing trash collectors have (in outrage) responded to this by announcing that they henceforth will abide strictly to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which will be problematic to say the least. Union spokesperson Peder Murell issued the following statement to the Swedish Radio:

"We will not haul trash bags heavier than 15 kilograms [33 pounds], we will not handle containers without wheels, we will not collect if snow hasn’t been shoveled away. I expect a lot of stuff will stay where it is."

As context, Stockholm has had its coldest January since 1987 and there is more snow than anyone can remember. To be continued.

What essentially has happened so far, is that the garbage collectors has gotten a wage cut by around 7000SEK (706EUR, 958USD) by moving from a wage-system based on piece rates to a system with fixed salaries. The employer also fired eight workers refusing to sign the new contracts.

svenne
13th February 2010, 15:45
There is some more info on the background in a thread i started at the time when the trash collectors was on strike: http://www.revleft.com/vb/swedish-garbage-workers-t101302/index.html?t=101302

Absolut
17th February 2010, 23:32
Right now, by working exactly as the law work-laws state, the garbage collectors have time to pick up around 25-30% of the citys garbage. So far, Ive mostly found Swedish sources on this, but Ill check around for English ones when I have time.

svenne
19th February 2010, 01:17
As far as i have understood it, one of the employers gave up and has promised to give them back their old system for salaries, but another company still refuses it, and the garbage collectors on the company that gave up, has said they'll keep working after the law, until all employers gets back to the old system. It also seems that the workers want better working environment. As far as i´ve understood, 98 % of the collectors voted for continuing the rulebook slowdown.

Also, some more garbage workers in municipality's close to Stockholm has joined in.

Red Commissar
19th February 2010, 19:10
How many workers will be involved in this?

svenne
22nd February 2010, 14:56
Probably just some couple of hundreds. But they have a really important job in a big city, which makes them really important, and as far as i have understood, it´s hard to bring in scabs too, because they´re still "working".

svenne
28th February 2010, 15:44
The other company gave up some days ago, and the strike and slow-down actions have ended, in a victory for the workers. :)