Swedish Auto Workers Protest Against Prominent Electric Car Manufacturer
In Sweden, a group of 70 auto mechanics have been protesting against a major global electric car company for two years now, with no visible end in sight. This protest has been happening at the company's ten service centers across the country.
One of the protesters, 39-year-old Janis Kuzma, has been involved in the protest since its start in October of a few years ago. The cold winter weather in Sweden is making the protest more difficult, but Janis remains determined. He spends his Mondays outside one of the company's garages, supplied with a mobile van, food, and coffee provided by his union, IF Metall.
However, despite the ongoing protest, it's business as usual for the company, with the workshop operating as normal.
The Heart of the Matter
The protest revolves around a key aspect of Swedish industrial culture - the right of trade unions to negotiate pay and conditions for their members. This notion of collective agreement has been fundamental to industrial relations in Sweden for nearly a hundred years. Indeed, about 70% of Swedish workers are part of a trade union, and 90% are covered by a collective agreement. Strikes in Sweden are relatively uncommon, making this particular protest quite notable.
However, the company at the center of the protest, led by its influential CEO, has expressed disagreement with the concept of unions. The CEO has previously voiced his belief that unions foster negativity within a company.
IF Metall has been trying to secure a collective agreement with the company since it entered Sweden a decade ago, but their attempts have been met with silence and avoidance. Eventually, the union had no choice but to initiate a strike.
Impact of the Strike
Not all workers joined the strike, which began when the company had around 130 mechanics. Today, about 70 union members are part of the strike. The company has managed to replace these workers, a move that hasn't been seen since the 1930s.
Despite the ongoing strike, the company's operations have not been severely impacted. While communication with the company has been limited, a representative from the company has stated that they prefer not having a collective agreement and working directly with their team.
Support for the strike has come from various quarters. Dockworkers from neighboring countries are refusing to handle the company's cars, and garbage collection from the company's Swedish facilities has been halted. Even newly constructed charging stations for the company's cars are not being connected to the grid.
The Future of the Strike
With the stakes high for both sides, it's hard to predict when and how the strike will end. The union is wary of setting a precedent by conceding the principle of a collective agreement, while the car company may fear that agreeing to the union's demands in Sweden could encourage similar demands in other countries where it has large operations.
Despite the ongoing protest, the company's car owners appear to be largely unaffected. They still have access to charging stations and are able to service and purchase their cars. However, the length and intensity of the protest suggests that a resolution is not likely to be reached anytime soon.