Please find below a summary on the collective bargaining round in the Swedish Steel industry from our correspondent Roger Nilsson.

Agreement term: 3 years, from 1 April, 2004 until 31 March, 2007
Covering: 25 000 metalworkers within the steel industry
The agreement term is 36 months from 1 April, 2004 until 31 March, 2007. Both parties can give premature notice of termination of the last agreement year. This should be done no later than 30 November, 2005.
The wage increases will be made at certain intervals with a 6.8 per cent raise all together during the agreement term. For the first agreement year the figure is 2.2 per cent, the second agreement year 2.3 per cent and the third agreement year 2.3 per cent. These wage increases are equivalent to at least 435 SEK for 2004, 455 SEK for 2005 and 470 SEK for 2006. The total average wage increase for the agreement period is 1 360 SEK.
During the agreement term 0.7 per cent is put aside for a working hours reduction in a life working time deposit so called LD, which is a complement to the SAF-LO Retirement Agreement. The deposit for 2004 is 3.3 per cent, 3.65 per cent for 2005 and during 2006 it is continuously 4 per cent of the workers’ earnings.
The agreement guarantee wages are increased with approximately 3 per cent a year. The same applies for over time compensation and other similar compensations.
The minimum vacation pay per day is increased with 40 SEK per year. New minimum vacation pay is 1 020 SEK from April 1st, 2004, from April 1st, 2005 it is 1 060 SEK and from April 1st, 2006 it is 1 100 SEK.
The agreement also includes improvements of the health and safety agreement.

Cheers
Jochen on behalf of EUCOBA