Originally posted by The
[email protected] 24 2006, 05:44 PM
I became one quite recently. Here in Sweden most workers are organized in
unions, which negotiate with the employers over wages and working conditions,
start strikes and so on.
The unions have representatives on the working places that see to that the contracts
are followed.
In many countries it is really dangerous business and being active in an union can
end in getting a bullet in your head or getting concrete boots on your feet and being
thrown in the sea.
The situation in Sweden is far from that bad, thanks to a long history of class struggle,
but it is worsening these days. Being too active is a great way of getting fired :angry:
I am personally going to my first union educational course soon. I see my position
as a representative as a great honor, but also as a heavy duty.
Isn't it the situation in Sweden where you cannot receive welfare unless you're a member of a trade union. A prime example of how the TU bureaucracy has tied the unions up to the state and bosses. I believe unionisation is in the 90% region or so, am I correct?
I'm a shop steward in my work place but unfortunately, there are very few members. There are a lot of Eastern European staff working there and it's very hard to persuade them to unionise because they're afraid that they'll be victimised or that family members who work in the company would be victimised as a result. Some of them are only able to work with a work permit which they need the company to sign every year and some have been warned that they won't be signed if they unionise. It's hard work particularly because most people are content with their jobs. Management haven't really tried to attack conditions or wages but it's only a matter of time as the world economy slows down. To be honest, I think it really would take an attack by management to create a situation where the workers would be more open to joining the union.