The Swedish Trade Union System in Transition: High but Falling Union Density

The chapter on Sweden in this book on trade union revitalisation in 34 countries analyzes the Swedish model of industrial relations and its current challenges, among them the falling union density. The recent development of industrial relations is characterized in terms of a new mix of decentralisation and centralisation and of self-regulation and state regulation. Contents of the Swedish chapter: 1. Introduction 2. Separate White-Collar Unions and Confederations 3. Combined Centralisation and Decentralisation 4. Self-Regulation 5. Union Unemployment Funds 6. Very High but Declining Union Density 7. Declining Coverage of Union Workplace Organisations 8. A New Mix of Decentralisation and Centralisation, and of Self-Regulation and State Regulation 9. Other Challenges to Unions 10. Union Responses and Future Prospect