Swedish Unions revive recruitment efforts

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Text / HARALD GATU
Photos / LARS HALVARSSON

In Sweden most people belong to a union and the level of organisation is among the highest in the world. But joining a union is no longer taken for granted. The proportion of union members is declining, forcing unions to make an effort to recruit new members.

Stefan Halvarsson is 38 years old and president of the IF Metall union at one of the American Snap-On factories in Sweden. All workers, except one, are organized in the union. "They used to come and ask to become members, now we need to motivate them to join," he says.

A few hours' drive north of Stockholm lies Bollnäs, a small town in an idyllic setting of vast forests and beautiful lakes.

The American firm Snap-On has a plant here that makes handsaws. There are 137 workers at the plant, and all but one are union members.

The fact that so many people are members does not mean that the union can relax and expect that every employee will spontaneously join.

"No, it's not so simple," says Stefan Halvarsson. "Not any longer. It used to be that people spontaneously came and asked to join. Now we have to seek people out and argue for our cause. They want to know what the union can do for them."

Halvarsson is 38 years old, a bowling fan, and has worked at the plant for 14 years. Prior to that he worked in healthcare, and he believes that the healthcare job involving contact with people has made it easier for him to engage in union work.

"Being a union activist means working with people, building relationships and trust," Stefan says.

After a few years at the plant, he was asked if he wanted to undertake a union assignment. He said yes. Today Stefan is the chairman of IF Metall's branch for the company. "We must always explain why one should join the union. And first and foremost, the union must always be visible. The union must be present among its members."