The Wilmington morning star., 1946-01-12
REASON SWEDEN
HAS FEW STRIKES
By JULIUS MoRyzpp

wife esioeh. Truman ,.A.
Congressional action 70 brir 'eeh
end to industrial strife, sw..m
appears to have found n"eoea
labor-management peace w ivy 70
suits that seem to have permar. e
value. a'eal
According to Arnold so.,u.
legal counsel for the sw.ssll
Trades Union Federation, wris;
recently in the organ Of the Fang sssEs
alton, 1.-THE aim both Of en, sSef'
ers and workers Throughout pt %
history Of collective bargainirr me
Sweden has been to maintain' a n
contractural basis and avoid .o We
pulsory government arbitratiorO 'i'
balance Of power between ernn,. \
ers' and workers organization, Wy
doubleday constitutes a ,tro MI,
guarantee against misuse Of M
weapon Of open conflict" Wig
If this balance of power H.,
proved effectual in avoiding ]a hay
strife in Sweden, it would ,a.~
that there is lesson here for ts
United States. Mr.. Soelven ,t,,as
that it was during the 1905 Ss.
a joint managsment-labor comm.
tee came together and for two ,ns
a halt years examined everv ~.
sible method toward securing M.
balance of power" that wo,,ls
prove mutually satisfactory, Whsr
finally an agreement was reacssd
it was disclosed that the proposal,
for compulsory regulations advn
Gated in certain quarters, Original
ed neither from management M,
labor. but were mostly of no
litical nature.
AS early as 1928 the swsd,,
Government had set up a Labnr
Court for settling disputes, Bm
public mediation in labor contro.
versies in Sweden dates back IA
1905. The present law, dividing III.
country into seven mediation dis.
tricts, was adopted in 1920. Tn,
right to bargain is secured BY III.
provision in the law of 1895, obls.
ing one party to negotiate at tn,
demand of the other. A party re-.
fusing to negotiate, however, can.
not be directly forced to do 50
but can apply to the Government
Mediator, who will place himself
at n petitioners disposition il
requested either by an employer
or union organization which in.
cludes at least half of the affected
workers. Or. if preferred, neu.
trail chairman appointed by thu
Board of Social Affairs may b,
demanded. The latter course in.
wolves process of registration Of
the unions central organization
with the board, by which not only
Union and employer are bound ia
observe labor peace curing the ne.
gotiations.
In general, the right of the EN-.
ployer to engage and dismiss
workers at his own discretion il
recognized, both in the statutes
and in worker-management agree.
ments. Thus a provision in tn.
basic agreement, stipulating ne.
gotlation over cases of dismissal
it the union desires it, clearly
states that in judging the case the
dependence of the business on the
workers efficiency and suitability
shall be taken into account as
well as the rightful interests Of
the workers in security of employ.
ment. The employers freedom to
dismiss workers applies only if it
does not infringe on what are held
to be til e employees prope,
rights.
The law dividing the country
into sew en- mediation districts
makes it the duty of the public
mediators to follow closely all bar.
gaining developments within their
districts and be always ready 10
assist in disputes and generally
act so that work stoppages may
be avoided. The mediator himself
has to judge when to intervene
ana persuade tn parties in
question to refrain from coercive
action.
The Labor Court consists Of I,
chairman and six members, Of
whom two are nominated by the
Government and two each by the
employer and labor organizations.
1t convenes one day each week,
hearing four cases. Both parties to
a dispute must present their points
OF view in writing a week in ad.
vance, in order that the Judges
may acquaint themselves with the
facts before the hearings, which
are thus kept within the allotted
time OF one hour. Written verdicts
are generally produced within two
weeks after the hearings. A large
number of the courts decision
nave been unanimous. Even where
verdlcts have gone against them,
Ine workers are usually satisfied
1hat full protection of their rights
mas been accorded. - Christian
science Monitor,