The Swedish Model of Industrial Relations: Self-Regulation and Combined Centralisation-Decentralisation

Anders Kjellberg

Abstract

The Swedish model of industrial relations is analyzed with respect to some closely related dimensions: collective agreements - legislation, cooperation - confrontation, self-regulation - state regulation and centralisation - decentralisation. Both the historical development and the present state of the model are discussed. In an analytical table the dimension self-regulation - state regulation is combined with the dimension centralisation - decentralisation. A distinction is made between self-regulation on the part of unions AND employers' associations (bipartite self-regulation) and on the other hand on the part of unions OR employers' associations (unilateral self-regulation). By that the four fields of the table are extended to six fields. The development in the last 10-15 years is described as a "new mix of self-regulation and state regulation and of centralisation and decentralisation".

Details

Authors	Anders Kjellberg
Organisations	Sociology
Research areas and keywords	Subject classification (UKÄ) – MANDATORY Sociology (excluding Social Work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology) Keywords arbetsliv, sociology, state regulation, centralisation, union movement, employer association, Saltsjöbaden, decentralisation, collective agreement, global, sociologi, industrial relations, a-kassa, trade unions, facklig organisationsgrad, blue-collar workers, union unemployment fund, SACO, Ghent system, fackförening, white-collar workers, LO, svenska modellen, fackförbund, industrial agreement, labour legislation, arbetsmarknad, co-determination, TCO, Swedish model, self-regulation, union density, department of sociology, sociologiska institutionen, centralised bargaining, solidaristic wage policy, employment protection

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Trade Unionism since 1945: Towards a Global History
Subtitle of host publication	Volume 1: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East
Editors	Craig Phelan
Place of Publication	Oxford
Publisher	Peter Lang Publishing Group
Pages	155-198
Number of pages	44
Volume	1
ISBN (Print)	978-3-03911-410-8
Publication status	Published - 2009
Publication category	Research
Peer-reviewed	No

Publication series

Name
Volume	1

Bibliographic note

Anders Kjellbergs hemsida This book is one of two volumes on the history of trade unionism from a global perspective. It contains chapters on a number of countries in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. It is publihed as volume 1 in the series Trade Unions Past, Present and Future. Mer information om boken ERRATA: The Swedish Mediation Office (Mediation Institute) was founded in the year 2000 (not in 2001 as mentioned at pp. 156, 164 and 185).

Related research output

Self-regulation versus State Regulation in Swedish Industrial Relations

Anders Kjellberg, 2017 Mar 23, Festskrift till Ann Numhauser-Henning. Rönnmar, M. & Julén Votinius, J. (eds.). Lund: Juristförlaget i Lund, p. 357-383 27 p.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter

Attacks on union organizing: Reversible and irreversible changes to the Ghent-systems in Sweden and Denmark

Anders Kjellberg & Lyhne Ibsen, C., 2016 Sep 6, Den Danske Model set udefra - komparative perspektiver på dansk arbejdsmarkedsregulering : Et festskrif t til professor emeritus Jesper Due og og professor emeritus Jørgen Steen Madsen. Larsen, T. P. & Ilsøe, A. (eds.). København: Jurist- og Økonomforbundets Forlag, p. 279-302 24 p.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter

The Decline in Swedish Union Density since 2007

Anders Kjellberg, 2011, In : Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies. 1, 1, p. 67-93 27 p.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

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