The Swedish Trade Union Confederation is to fight to reduce pay gaps and for the right to minimum pay levels

The Swedish Trade Union Confederation is to mould public opinion in support of the right to minimum pay levels and oppose government wage policy. This was what Congress resolved after dealing with motions. The LO Executive Council statement expresses concern over both the Government's and the employers’ endeavours to reduce minimum pay levels and to create the conditions for low-paid jobs. This, says the Swedish Trade Union Confederation, goes against both modernisation of the labour market and the goal of fair wages. The Swedish Trade Union Confederation also points out that there is no clear link between the minimum wage level and youth unemployment.

Consequently, the Swedish Trade Union Confederation will work to safeguard the collective agreement model, the independence of the parties, collectively agreed minimum pay levels and oppose attempts to create low-pay sectors.

The pay gap between white-collar and blue-collar workers must be reduced, states the Swedish Trade Union Confederation. Despite almost twenty years of real wage increases for the members of LO Sweden’s affiliates, differences have increased in relation to white-collar workers. The Swedish Trade Union Confederation believes that the main part of the growing gaps cannot be explained by changes in qualification requirements or job content.

There is strong support even among white-collar groups for reducing pay differences. The LO Executive Council has therefore been given the task during the period until the next Congress to take measures, through coordinated trade union negotiations, to reduce the pay gap between white-collar and blue-collar workers.