Swedish General Strike
Encyclopedia
The Swedish General Strike (sv. Storstrejken) of August 4 to September 4, 1909, was a general work stoppage
by over 300,000 individuals all over Sweden
. It was the first major conflict between the Swedish Trade Union Confederation
(sv. Landsorganisationen, LO), and the Swedish Employers Association
(sv. Svenska Arbetsgivareföreningen, SAF). The losses to employers was estimated to be around 25 million Swedish kronor.
Recession
was having a negative impact on many companies and the SAF therefore wanted to lower wages. A lockout
of 80,000 workers in the textile
-, sawmill
- and pulp industry
was put in effect. The LO answered with a call for general strike
. Only healthcare workers and a few other skeleton professions were exempt from the strike.
Funds were short and forced the union to end the strike after a month, resulting in major membership losses. The LO lost almost half of its members, some to the newly formed anarcho-syndicalist Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden
. The anarcho-syndicalists argued that the management of the LO had handled the strike half-heartedly and only started it to curb its members' more radical stance. Employers also took the opportunity to lay off approximately 20,000 workers, which also contributed to mass defections from LO when workers were forced to leave the union to keep their jobs. Emigration
also rose as a consequence of the strike.
The failure of the general strike formed an important backdrop to the Saltsjöbaden Agreement
of 1938.
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
by over 300,000 individuals all over Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. It was the first major conflict between the Swedish Trade Union Confederation
Swedish Trade Union Confederation
The Swedish Trade Union Confederation , commonly referred to as LO, is a national trade union centre, an umbrella organisation for fifteen Swedish trade unions that organise mainly "blue-collar" workers...
(sv. Landsorganisationen, LO), and the Swedish Employers Association
Swedish Employers Association
The Swedish Employers Association , was a Swedish employers' organization founded in 1902. SAF in 2001 merged with Sveriges Industriförbund and formed Svenskt Näringsliv ....
(sv. Svenska Arbetsgivareföreningen, SAF). The losses to employers was estimated to be around 25 million Swedish kronor.
Recession
Recession
In economics, a recession is a business cycle contraction, a general slowdown in economic activity. During recessions, many macroeconomic indicators vary in a similar way...
was having a negative impact on many companies and the SAF therefore wanted to lower wages. A lockout
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
of 80,000 workers in the textile
Textile manufacturing
Textile manufacturing is a major industry. It is based in the conversion of three types of fibre into yarn, then fabric, then textiles. These are then fabricated into clothes or other artifacts. Cotton remains the most important natural fibre, so is treated in depth...
-, sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
- and pulp industry
Pulp and paper industry
The global pulp and paper industry is dominated by North American , northern European and East Asian countries...
was put in effect. The LO answered with a call for general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
. Only healthcare workers and a few other skeleton professions were exempt from the strike.
Funds were short and forced the union to end the strike after a month, resulting in major membership losses. The LO lost almost half of its members, some to the newly formed anarcho-syndicalist Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden
Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden
Central Organisation of the Workers of Sweden is an anarcho-syndicalist trade union federation in Sweden. Unlike other Swedish unions, SAC organizes people from all occupations, including the unemployed, students, and the retired...
. The anarcho-syndicalists argued that the management of the LO had handled the strike half-heartedly and only started it to curb its members' more radical stance. Employers also took the opportunity to lay off approximately 20,000 workers, which also contributed to mass defections from LO when workers were forced to leave the union to keep their jobs. Emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
also rose as a consequence of the strike.
The failure of the general strike formed an important backdrop to the Saltsjöbaden Agreement
Saltsjöbaden Agreement
The Saltsjöbaden Agreement is a Swedish labor market treaty signed between the Swedish Trade Union Confederation and the Swedish Employers Association on December 20, 1938, that became a model for other agreements...
of 1938.