1 AGREEMENT LAYER CAKE LEGAL RULES AND REGULATIONS – A STABLE SPONGE Legal regulations sometimes define a minimum level and sometimes they are just a framework. One example is the annual leave act that grants employees a minimum of twenty-five annual holiday days. Many regulations are semi dispositive, meaning that they give some scope for parties to deviate from some of the provisions in the law. More example for labour market laws: • The Employment Protection Act • Co-determination Act • Parental Leave Act • Working Hours Act LET’S UNITE The Swedish model only works if enough employees are members of a trade union. If you join, Engineers of Sweden gain more strength at the negotiation table. You can as well become a local trade union representative at your workplace. Together, we can improve the terms and benefits on the labour market. CENTRAL COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS – THE FILLING Trade unions and employers agree on central collective agreements which are branch-specific. For graduate engineers, there are agreements for the goods-producing industry, consultant agencies, energy sector, municipalities, regions and governmental agencies. And many more. Collective Agreements stipulate among others: • Working hours • Notice period • Occupational pension • Salary-setting principles LOCAL COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS – THE ICING Local trade union councils can agree with the employer on local agreements on benefits in the workplace. This can be, for example, the possibility to save more holiday days compared to the central agreement. INDIVIDUAL AGREEMENT – THE CHERRY ON TOP Every employee agrees on an individual agreement, the employment agreement. Normally this contains only the salary but it is possible to agree on additional individual conditions, for example salary exchange for higher pensions contributions. INGENJÖREN • 2024 51
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