sou · GWB3123 · 2008-12-15 00:00:00 — These include provisions regarding the Working Hours Act and three other laws on work periods. There are rules on night work, rights to pauses and rights to be given notice of changes to the scheduling of work periods some time in advance. These provisions do not, in our opinion, form part of the hard core of the Posting of Workers Directive. Undertakings from other EEA countries should not be compelled to comply with them. We therefore propose that the references in the Posting of Workers Act to these provisions be removed. What should apply in the event of posting from a third country? Terms of Reference refers to the specific issue as to whether can and should be applied in situations that fall outside the obligations ensuing from member- ship of the EU. From Article 1 (4) of the Posting of Workers Directive it is indicated that undertakings that are established in a non-member State may not be treated more favourably than undertakings that are established in a . The Swedish Posting of Workers Act is therefore also applicable to postings from countries outside the EEA. In the event that at least the same requirements are not demanded upon a posting from a third country, undertakings from non-member States would be treated more favourably than under- takings from EEA countries. However, there is no legal impediment to treating an underta- king from another more favourably than an underta- king from a non-member State. Consequently, in our assessment there is no impediment to the current system applying as regards postings to from coun- tries outside the EEA, and the application of our proposed rules is limited to cover industrial action against employers from other EEA countries. As regards the question of whether it is appropriate to retain the current regulations in relation to countries outside the EEA, it may naturally be questioned whether, in order to counteract what is usually termed social dumping, we should do this when the Euro- pean Court of has declared that the rules go beyond what may be deemed allowed according to the fundamental principles of Community law. It may be claimed that a transnational trade in services on such conditions as apply to undertakings within the EEA cooperation yields socio-economic gains when it is based on certain pay competition, and that trade on such conditions should be accepted even when a service provider is established in a country outside the EEA. However, the point of departure of our Committee Terms of Reference is that we should endeavour to retain the Swedish model with regulation of the conditions in the labour market by collective agreement. The least intrusion possible should be made to the model, and the measures proposed should aim to resolve the situa- tion that arose as a consequence of the judgment. against this background, we are not prepared to propose that industrial action in conjunction with postings from third countries should also be covered by the proposed regulations in the Posting of Workers Act. do we consider that there is reason to pro- pose further amendment of Section 42 of the Employment (Co- Determination in the Workplace) Act than those that result from our proposal to introduce a special rule on industrial action in rela- tion to employers from other EEA countries. Possibility for posted workers to claim rights according to a collective agreement According to Swedish law it is not possible for a posted worker to base any rights on a collective agreement concluded between the Swedish trade union and the posting employer, unless the posted worker is a member of the contracting trade union. This is, in our opinion, an inadequacy in relation to the requirements of the Pos- ting of Workers Directive. We propose that a new provision be introduced into the Posting of Workers Act whereby rules on terms and conditions of employ- ment in a collective agreement entered into between a Swedish employee organization and an employer that is established in another EEA country and which posts workers to are pos- sible to claim by a posted worker even if he or she is not a member of the contracting organization. The employee should, according to the proposed provision, be able to refer to the collective agree- ment for the duration of the posting. The Swedish Work Environment Authoritys role as liaison office We propose two measures as regards the function of the liaison office, which aim to simplify matters, both for foreign employers and workers, regarding the obtaining of information about the conditions and requirements applicable upon a posting to . One of the measures is to prescribe in the Posting of Workers Act that terms and conditions of employment that an employee organization intends to present with the support of industrial action are submitted to the Swedish Work Environment Authority by the employee organization. A service provider or posted worker from another EEA country can thereby find out in a simple way which requirements may be forced through with the support of industrial action. It is obviously desirable that such an adapted collective agree- ment is drawn up in consultation with the employers side. If it is not shown that there has been consultation, the documents sub- mitted should be forwarded for information to the employers partner in the central agreement containing the conditions in ques- tion. By doing this, the legitimacy of the system is enhanced. No obligation should be prescribed for the employers side to express views regarding conditions. Through the requirements that can be directed towards a pos- ting employer being submitted to the Swedish Work Environment Authority, there will be an increased predictability for a service provider within the EEA who intends to perform a service in Swe- den. It would become significantly easier to estimate the costs that may be involved. From the perspective of the worker it will also be possible to verify in a simple way whether the employer applies conditions that lie at least at the minimum level applicable accor- ding to the relevant sector agreement in . We do not propose that any sanction be linked to this proposed provision. The fact that a trade union has not submitted the condi- tions presented in relation to an employer from another should consequently not influence the assessment of whether any industrial action is unlawful or entails a liability in damages on other grounds. The point of departure of our proposals is that the social part- ners will assume responsibility for our proposed regulations satis- fying the requirements of Community law. This requires compli- ance with the obligation to submit collective agreements although no sanction is linked to the provision. It should be emphasised that it should not be the duty of the liaison office to interpret and qua- lify the conditions that have been submitted. The second measure is to prescribe a more role for the liai- son office as regards assisting a foreign employer with information about which requirements may be imposed upon a posting to Swe- den. Today the Swedish Work Environment Authority can, accor- ding to Section 9 of the Posting of Workers Act, only refer to the social partners as regards any applicable collective agreement con- ditions. This role of the Swedish Work Environment Authority is in our assessment too passive. We propose instead that the liaison office should actively prov- ide assistance for foreign employers and workers to ascertain which conditions apply according to collective agreements in . As regards postings from another EEA country, we propose that the liaison office should assist by providing information about which requirements may be demanded in relation to an employer from another EEA country under our proposed provisions on industrial action. Proposals have been presented in various contexts during the course of the inquiry for the National Mediation Office to be the authority to take over the responsibility that currently lies with the Swedish Work Environment Authority. For several reasons, prima- rily of course because it cannot be deemed to form part of our assignment, the inquiry has not adopted any position on the ques- tion of which authority should function as a liaison office in the future. In the report we have briefly dealt with obligations under international conventions relating to the right of association and right of negotiation and the right to strike. The situations in which the provisions proposed by us may be referred are cases where the applicable law for the contract of employment, without applying the Posting of Workers Directive, would be the law of the home country because the contract has a stronger legal link to that country. Our proposed rules only relate to the right to take industrial action to regulate conditions of employment to workers posted to . This does not influence the right for the posted workers to take industrial action according to the rules of their home country for the area. does it influence the right to take indus- trial action in situations where the employer is actually established in another EEA country, but where the employment relationship nonetheless has such a link to that Swedish law applies to the full extent. against this background, we consider it unlikely that the proposals we present would be incompatible with any of the con- ventions referred to in the report. However, it is not possible to absolutely exclude such incompatibility. However, we are of the opinion that our proposal is necessary in order to regulate in Swe- den the right to take industrial action so as to be compatible with Community law. If it should transpire that Community law imposes require- ments on the Member States that are incompatible with the obliga- tions ensuing from the fundamental conventions in the area, we are of the opinion that this in the first instance represents an issue between the EU and the international organization to which the convention belongs. Our proposal means that the Swedish labour market model can be applied to a great extent as regards regulating terms and conditions of employment for posted workers, at the same time as Commu- nity law is, in our opinion, fully respected. The proposal thus lies completely in line with our Committee Terms of Reference. It cannot be emphasised enough that great responsibility is pla- ced on the social partners as regards ensuring that the model pro- posed by us functions in practice and in a way that satisfies the requirements of Community law. In this context, reminder must be given that trade unions in the Swedish labour market are, by our proposals, given a role that basi- cally corresponds to functions that in many other countries lie with public authorities. Such a role is also accompanied by a correspon- ding responsibility to deal with the situations now in question in a that is, not least from the Community law perspective, correct. As regards the State, our proposal requires a more role for the Swedish Work Environment Authority as a liaison office, as regards making it easier for foreign providers of services to find information and quite generally to enhance predictability regarding which terms and conditions of employment are to apply upon a posting to . However, the social partners also have a very great responsibility for this more role of the liaison office also having a practical impact. 1Förslag till ändring i lagen (1999:678) om utstationering av arbetstagare Härigenom föreskrivs i fråga om lagen (1999:678) om utstatio- nering av arbetstagare dels att 5 och 9 §§ ska ha följande lydelse, dels att det i lagen ska införas fem nya paragrafer, 5 a–d och 9 a §§, av följande lydelse. En arbetsgivare ska, oavsett vilken lag som annars gäller för anställningsförhållandet, tillämpa följande bestämmelser för utsta- tionerade arbetstagare: –2 §, 5 § andra och tredje stycket, 7 § första och andra stycket, 16, 17, 24, 27–29, 31 och 32 §§ semesterlagen (1977:480), –2 §, 4 § första stycket och 16–22 §§ föräldraledighetslagen (1995:584), –2–7 §§ lagen (2002:293) om förbud mot diskriminering av deltidsarbetande arbetstagare och arbetstagare med tidsbegränsad anställning, samt –1 kap. 4 och 5 §§, 2 kap. 1–4 och 18 §§ samt 5 kap. 1 och 3 §§ diskrimineringslagen (2008:567). Vid utstationering gäller även Vid utstationering gäller även (1982:673), – 1–11 §§, 13 § första stycket, (2005:395) om 13 a–16 §§ och 18–32 §§ 1TP PT Lydelse enligt SFS 2008:573, träder i kraft . visst vägtransportarbete, arbetsmiljölagen (1977:1160), lagen (2005:426) om arbetstid m.m. för flygpersonal inom civilflyget och lagen (2008:475) om kör- och vilotid vid internationell järnvägstrafik samt, när det gäller arbetsgivare som bedriver uthyrning av arbetskraft, 4, 6 och 7 §§ lagen (1993:440) om privat arbetsförmedling och uthyrning av arbetskraft. Vad som sägs i första och andra styckena hindrar inte att arbetsgivaren tillämpar bestämmelser eller villkor som är förmånligare för arbetstagaren. arbetstidslagen (1982:673), –1–15, 17, 18 och 20–32 §§ lagen (2005:395) om arbetstid vid visst vägtransportarbete, (1977:1160), –lagen (2005:426) om arbetstid m.m. för flygpersonal inom civilflyget, dock med den begränsningen beträffande bestämmelsen i 1 § andra stycket att för sådan personal gäller i övrigt bestämmelserna i 1–11 §§, första stycket, 13 a–16 §§ 18–32 §§ arbetstidslagen (1982:673), –lagen (2008:475) om kör- och vilotid vid internationell järnvägstrafik, dock med den begränsningen beträffande bestämmelsen i 1 § tredje stycket att i övrigt gäller 1–11 §§, 13 § första stycket, 13 a–16 §§ och 18– 32 §§ arbetstidslagen (1982:673), samt, –4, 6 och 7 §§ lagen (1993:440) om privat arbetsför- medling och uthyrning av arbetskraft, om arbetsgivaren bedriver uthyrning av arbetskraft. En arbetstagarorganisation kan ställa krav på att en arbets- givare i förhållande till sina utstationerade arbetstagare till- lämpar villkor enligt kollektiv- avtal i . En stridsåtgärd mot en arbets- givare som är etablerad i ett annat EES-land i syfte att genom kollektivavtal reglera villkoren för utstationerade arbetstagare får vidtas endast om, 1.de villkor som krävs mot- svarar villkoren i ett kollektiv- avtal som har slutits mellan en arbetstagarorganisation och en arbetsgivarorganisation på central nivå och som tillämpas allmänt i hela landet på motsvarande arbetstagare i den aktuella bran- schen, 2.villkoren inte avser annat än en tydligt definierad minimi- lön samt tydligt angivna minimi- villkor som är förmånligare för arbetstagaren än den lagreglering som anges i 5 § utstationerings- lagen, och 3.arbetsgivaren inte visar att de utstationerade arbetstagarna väsentligen har minst sådana villkor som anges i punkt 2 och som regleras i ett sådant kollek- tivavtal som anges i punkt 1. Vad som sägs i 5–5 b §§ hindrar inte att arbetsgivaren tillämpar bestämmelser eller vill- kor som är förmånligare för arbetstagaren. Arbets- och anställningsvillkor enligt ett kollektivavtal som har slutits mellan en svensk arbetsta- garorganisation och en arbetsgi- vare som är etablerad i ett annat EES-land och som utstationerar arbetstagare till kan för den tid utstationeringen pågår åberopas av den utstationerade arbetstagaren även om han eller hon inte är medlem i den avtals- slutande organisationen. skall vara förbindelsekontor och tillhan- dahålla information om de arbets- och anställningsvillkor som kan bli tillämpliga vid en utstationering i . För information om kollek- tivavtal som kan komma att bli tillämpliga skall Arbetsmiljöver- ket hänvisa till berörda kollektiv- avtalsparter. skall även samarbeta med motsvarande förbindelsekontor i andra länder inom EES och i . ska vara förbindelsekontor och tillhan- dahålla information om de arbets- och anställningsvillkor som kan bli tillämpliga vid en utstationering i . ska bistå arbetsgivare och arbetstagare med information om vilka villkor enligt kollektivavtal som kan komma att bli tillämpliga vid utstationering i och, vid utstationering från ett annat EES-land, vilka villkor enligt kollektivavtal som en facklig organisation kan komma att kräva med stöd av stridsåtgärder enligt 5 b §. ska även samarbeta med motsvarande förbindelsekontor i andra länder inom EES och i . 2TP PT Senaste lydelse 2001:65. Villkor enligt kollektivavtal som en arbetstagarorganisation, ytterst med stöd av stridsåtgärder enligt 5 b §, kan komma att genomdriva mot en arbetsgivare som är etablerad i ett annat EES- land ska av arbetstagarorganisa- tionen ges in till Arbetsmiljöver- ket. Denna lag träder i kraft . Pågår utstationering vid ikraftträdandet ska 5 d § tillämpas för den tid utstationeringen pågår därefter. Ett kollektivavtal som är ogiltigt enligt utländsk rätt på den grunden att det tillkommit efter en stridsåtgärd är trots detta giltigt här i landet, om stridsåtgärden var tillåten enligt denna lag eller lagen (1999:678) om utstationering av arbetstagare. 2Förslag till ändring i lagen (1976:580) om medbestämmande i arbetslivet Härigenom föreskrivs i fråga om lagen (1976:580) om medbe- stämmande i arbetslivet dels att 25 a och 42 §§ ska ha följande lydelse, dels att det i lagen ska införas en ny 41 c § av följande lydelse. Ett kollektivavtal som är ogiltigt enligt utländsk rätt på den grunden att det tillkommit efter en stridsåtgärd är trots detta giltigt här i landet, om stridsåtgärden var tillåten enligt denna lag. I 5 b § lagen (1999:678) om utstationering av arbetstagare finns särskilda bestämmelser om tillåtligheten av stridsåtgärd mot arbetsgivare från ett annat EES- land i syfte att genom kollektiv- avtal reglera villkoren för utsta- tionerade arbetstagare. En strids- åtgärd som vidtas i strid med de bestämmelserna är att anse som olovlig. 3TP PT Senaste lydelse 1991:681. Detta gäller dock inte när en stridsåtgärd är olovlig enligt 41 c §. Arbetsgivar- eller arbetstagarorganisation får ej anordna eller på annat sätt föranleda olovlig stridsåtgärd. Sådan organisation får ej heller genom understöd eller på annat sätt medverka vid olovlig stridsåtgärd. Organisation som själv är bunden av kollektivavtal är även skyldig att, om olovlig stridsåtgärd av medlem förestår eller pågår, söka hindra åtgärden eller verka för dess upphörande. Har någon vidtagit olovlig stridsåtgärd, får annan icke deltaga i åtgärden. Bestämmelserna i första stycket första och andra meningarna gäller endast när en organisation vidtar åtgärder med anledning av arbetsförhållanden som denna lag är direkt tillämp- lig på. Denna lag träder i kraft . 4TP PT Senaste lydelse 1991:681. 1Proposed amendment to the Posting of Workers Act (1999:678) It is hereby prescribed, regarding the Posting of Workers Act (1999:678) first that Sections 5 and 9 shall be worded as follows, second that five new sections, Sections 5 a–d and 9 a, shall be introduced into the Act, worded as follows. An employer shall, irrespective of which Act would otherwise apply to the employment relationship, apply the following provi- sions for posted workers: –Section 2, Section 5, second and third paragraphs, Section 7, first and second paragraphs, Sections 16, 17, 24, 27–29, 31 and 32 of the Annual Leave Act (1977:480), –Section 2, Section 4, first paragraph and Sections 16–22 of the Parental Leave Act (1995:584), –Sections 2–7 of the Prohibition of Discrimination of Employ- ees Working Part Time and Employees with Fixed-term Employ- ment Act (2002:293), and also –Chapter 1, Sections 4 and 5, Chapter 2, Sections 1–4 and 18 and also Chapter 5, Sections 1 and 3 of the Discrimination Act (2008:567). 1TP PT Wording according to Swedish Code of Statutes – SFS 2008:573; enters into force on 1 January 2009. In connection with foreign posting, the provisions of the Working Hours Act (1982:673), the Working Hours for Certain Road Transport Work Act (2005:395), the Work Environ- ment Act (1977:1160), the Working Hours, etc. of Mobile Workers in (2005:426) and the Driving and Rest Periods for Transport Act (2008:475) and also, as regards employers who conduct hiring- out of workers, Sections 4, 6 and 7 of the Labour Act (1993:440) apply. The provisions of the first and second paragraphs do not prevent the employer from applying terms or conditions that are more favourable for the worker. In connection with foreign posting, the provisions of –Sections 1–11, Section 13, first paragraph, Sections 13 a–16 and Sections 18–32 of the Working Hours Act (1982:673), –Sections 1–15, 17, 18 and 20–32 of the Working Hours for Certain Road Transport Work Act (2005:395), –the Work Environment Act (1977:1160), - the Working Hours, etc. of Mobile Workers in Civil Avia- tion Act (2005:426), though with the limitation as regards the pro- vision contained in Section 1, second paragraph that for such staff the other provisions of Sec- tions 1–11, Section 13, first para- graph, Sections 13 a–16 and Sec- tions 18–32 of the Working Hours Act (1982:673), –the Driving and Rest Peri- ods for Transport Act (2008:475), though with the limitation as regards the provision contained in Section 1, third paragraph that Sections 1–11, Section 13, first paragraph, Sections13 a–16 and Sections 18–32 of the Working Hours Act (1982:673) otherwise apply, and also, –Sections 4, 6 and 7 of the Labour Act (1993:440) apply if the employer conducts hiring-out of workers. An employees organisation may make demands for an employer to apply conditions according to a collective bar- gaining agreement in in relation to its posted workers. Industrial action against an employer established in another EEA country for the purpose of regulating conditions for posted workers through a collective bar- gaining agreement may only be taken if: 1.the conditions demanded correspond to the conditions contained in a collective bar- gaining agreement concluded by an employees organisation and an employers organisation at central level that are generally applied throughout to corresponding workers within the sector in question; 2.the conditions do not refer to anything other than a clearly defined minimum rate of pay and also to clearly specified minimum conditions that are more favour- able for the worker than those prescribed by the statutory rules referred to in Section 5, of the Posting of Workers Act; and 3.the employer does not show that the posted workers have essentially at least such conditions as referred to in item 2 and which are regulated in such a collective bargaining agreement as referred to in item 1. The provisions of Sections 5– 5 b do not prevent the employer from applying terms or conditions that are more favourable for the worker. Work and employment condi- tions in a collective bargaining agreement entered into between a Swedish employees organisation and an employer established in another EEA country and which posts workers to can, for the duration of the posting, also be claimed by the posted worker even if he or she is not a member of the contracting organisation. The Swedish Work Envi- The Swedish Work Envi- ronment Authority shall be the ronment Authority shall be the information about the work and information about the work and may become applicable upon a may become applicable upon a foreign posting in . foreign posting in . For information about collec- The Swedish Work Environ- may be applicable, the Swedish information about the conditions shall refer to the parties of the that may become applicable under a collective bargaining agreement upon a posting to and, in The Swedish Work Envi- the case of a posting from another 2TP PT Most recent wording 2001:65. SOU 2008:123 Proposed legislation collaborate with the corre- sponding liaison offices in other States within the EEA and in Section 5 b. The Swedish Work Envi- collaborate with the corre- sponding liaison offices in other States within the EEA and in