The New Swedish Regime for Collective Bargaining and Conflict Resolution: A Comparative Perspective

Abstract

This article discusses the new system of conflict resolution and coordinated wage bargaining introduced in Sweden in 1997. First adopted by agreement between unions and employers in the manufacturing sector, it has been imitated in the public sector and formed the model for legislation in 2000. The author discusses the significance of these developments and locates the Swedish experience in a broader European comparative perspective.