58 INGENJÖREN • 2024 Ström are particularly involved in that work, which is led by the salary group, made up of some other members of the local board. For the past two years, the salary group has been working hard to prepare members for their salary dialogues. The salary review process starts with a members’ meeting where everyone learns about how the salary process works and gets advice on how they can influence their salary development. “Many members are engaged in the issue, and the most common question that comes up is ‘What can I do to raise my salary?’ Most people understand that salary dialogues are important and that they need to prepare for them," says Ström. The second most common issue raised is the company’s goal-setting tool. There is frustration among members, and their questions often contain a degree of criticism. Cytiva has been American owned for the past 20 years. The Swedish company Pharmacia, (later Pharmacia Upjohn), became Amersham Biosciences and was then bought by the American company GE in 2004, becoming part of GE Healthcare. An American system of performance assessment was introduced, which many people were unhappy with. However, over the 20 years of GE’s ownership, the unions managed to change and ’Swedify’ it. “When the American company Danaher bought large parts of the healthcare portfolio from GE, Cytiva was formed as a subsidiary in 2019. And then we got a new American assessment system. Many people who have been working here for a long time feel that we are now back to square one and need to start all over again.” At many workplaces, it is difficult to find members who want to get involved in union work. Many who are asked feel that they don’t have the time or knowledge. Erik Löfgren says he spends about 10-12 hours a week on union work. “Some weeks things get hectic, but everyone on the board lends a hand, and we really try to help each other. My predecessor is also still around as a deputy member of the board, and that is helpful. He is a great source of support.” Löfgren also describes learning what is in the collective agreement and the legislation in order to be able to answer members’ questions as a team effort. “I have learned the most from the more experienced members of the board. I often need to ask ‘How have we done this before?’” If something is unclear in the collective agreements, someone from the local association board contacts Engineers of Sweden. Löfgren and several other members of the local board have also taken the union’s courses for elected representatives. Sometimes, co-determination negotiations involve positive changes, but there are also proposals that members do not appreciate. The most difficult negotiations, emotionally and sometimes legally, are about matters relating to individual employees. In addition to co-determination meetings, Erik Löfgren discusses issues with other members of the board and prepares the local association’s board meetings, which are held every other week. “We also try to be visible here in the workplace. Sometimes we invite speakers and have ‘Coffee with the Union’ meetings, where we are available to answer questions.” But do members know what the local trade union association for graduate professionals does? Matilda Ström believes that not everyone fully understands the union’s role in the workplace. Sometimes, members think it was the company that took the initiative to introduce a benefit for employees when it was actually the local unions that pushed for it. “We do a lot of work that people do not see. We realise this when we talk to members.” But both Ström and Löfgren also find the opposite, that people sometimes have unrealistic expectations of what they can do. “Sometimes, members ask how we could have agreed to a certain change. Many do not know that union cooperation means we are allowed to negotiate, but it is the employer who decides in the end." This question also comes up in connection with the salary review process. The local association encourages members to get in touch if they are dissatisfied. But that does not mean members can delegate the responsibility for their Ann-Britt Vikström, Erik Löfgren and Maria Adefjord are three of the eleven members on the board of the local trade union association for graduate professionals. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjcwMjg=