Wanja Lundby-Wedin, President of LO- Sweden

I am President of LO since September 2000. My first job was as nursing auxiliary at the Högdalen hospital for long-term care south of Stockholm. I studied to become a assistant nurse and began to work at Danderyd hospital where I got my first trade union assignment as union liaison officer at my nursing ward.

In 1981, I was employed as trade union official at the Stockholm branch of the Municipal Workers’ Union. In 1987, I began at the national headquarters of the union as Head of the Department for Environmental Issues. There I worked with issues such as working environment, co-dermination and negotiation issues. What keeps me committed to my union work is the vision of a society where everybody is given the possibilities to live a good life. It is totally unacceptable that class, gender or ethnical origin should decide life conditions of people. The injustices become more obvious when looking at conditions of work, therefore the fight for decent work is very important, i.e. a job which does not wear out or is harmful, where skills development scheme and training are natural elements and where work organisation gives possibilities to influence and self-determination.

The most important issue is the right to a job. We must never get used to or accept a society with high unemployment. A society which does not give the opportunity to everyone to make a living is not a welfare society.

When I do not work I devote my time to my family, relatives and friends, preferably at Husarö, in our summer cottage in the archipelago of Stockholm. I like to do simple things like raking, and weeding, to cook food and bake bread. Just to be only Wanja - and I think this is important if I’m going to do a good job.

Some facts

Wanja Lundby-Wedin, President of LO.

Born in October 1952.

Assistant nurse.

Active in the trade union since 1972.

Came to LO in 1994.

Lives in Stockholm, is married, has two children and three grandchildren.