Swedish Labor Court Rules in Favor of Dockworkers’ Strikes
Swedish Labor Court supports dockworkers' strikes as legal amid employer objections.
Key Points
- • AD deems Hamnarbetarförbundets strikes legal despite employer claims.
- • Sveriges Hamnar argues strikes violate a signed collective agreement.
- • Court's interim ruling allows strikes to continue pending final decision.
- • Union welcomes the ruling as a chance for constructive negotiations.
The Swedish Labor Court (Arbetsdomstolen, AD) has declared that strike actions initiated by the Hamnarbetarförbundet (Dockworkers' Union) are legal, sparking significant reactions from various stakeholders. This ruling comes despite claims from the employers’ organization, Sveriges Hamnar, that the strikes violate a recently signed collective agreement with the Transport Workers' Union (Transportarbetareförbundet).
In an interim decision released on May 26, 2025, AD found the employers' objections to the strike actions insufficient, allowing the protests to proceed while awaiting a final ruling. Following the court's decision, Johan Grauers, chief negotiator for Sveriges Hamnar, expressed grave concerns regarding the implications of this ruling on the integrity of the Swedish labor model, questioning the value of collective agreements if they fail to ensure peace post-negotiation. "If we negotiate and sign agreements with Transport, a LO union, and still do not get peace, what is the value of the collective agreement?" he stated.
Conversely, Erik Helgeson, vice chairman of Hamnarbetarförbundet, praised the court's decision, viewing it as an opportunity for more constructive negotiations between the parties to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. The ongoing strikes have already impacted around 15 Swedish ports, with further actions anticipated in key locations such as Gothenburg, Gävle, and Stockholm/Nynäshamn.