1975 Swedish forestry workers' strike

none July 2025 1975 Swedish forestry workers' strike 1975 03 21 yes—1975 6 3 yes Sweden Monthly salary to replace piece work Work stoppage Monthly salary of 3,800 SEK Forestry workers Forestry companies 8,000–15,000 The 1975 Swedish forestry workers' strike was a major wildcat strike by Northern Swedish forestry workers which took place between 21 March 1975 and 3 June 1975. The number of participants has been variously estimated between 8,000 and 15,000. After roughly ten weeks of deadlocks, an agreement was reached: workers would receive a monthly salary of 3,800 SEK. Employers would also assume responsibility for purchasing work clothes, protective gear, chainsaws, and fuel. Background At the time of the strike, Swedish forests made up a quarter of the national economy. The forest-associated industries employed around 180,000 people, while the Swedish Forest Workers' Union had roughly 25,000 members.Olson Monika 1975-04-16 Skogen en fjärdedel av Sveriges ekonomi Forests account for a quarter of Sweden's economy Dagens Nyheter sv The forestry companies' record profits in 1974 sparked concern among workers that their union was not adequately representing them.Holmberg Örjan 2005-03-24 Den stora skogsstrejken oförglömlig - P4 Västerbotten The unforgettable great forest strike - P4 Västerbotten https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/583014 2025-07-20 Sveriges Radio sv Piece work (being paid per unit, rather than a fixed wage) was a major point of contention. The industry was also dangerous; occupational injuries were five times higher among forest workers compared to the average.Edholm Marie 2015-03-23 Arbetarna som vägrade vänta The workers who refused to wait https://da.se/2015/03/arbetarna-som-vagrade-vanta/ 2025-07-19 Dagens Arbete sv A wildcat strike had previously been tried in 1971, but was called off without obtaining any major results.1971-02-19 Svårt överblicka strejken i skogen Difficult to assess strike in the forest Dagens Nyheter sv1971-03-06 Skogsstrejken avblåst Majoritet ville fortsätta Forest strike called off Majority wanted to continue Dagens Nyheter 20 sv Strike On Friday, 21 March 1975, some forest workers turned off their chainsaws at 4:00 p.m., about 15 minutes before the work day was due to end.Sandström David 2025-03-21 ”Viktigt att vi kommer ihåg det här” “It's important that we remember this.” Folkbladet Västerbotten sv PressReader Workers sought 4,000 SEK in monthly wages plus a daily allowance of 25 SEK.Stoltz Teresia Jakobsson 2025-03-30 Storstrejken för 50 år sedan – så ser arbetet i skogen ut nu The great strike 50 years ago – this is what forestry work looks like today https://www.nsd.se/nyheter/kalix/artikel/storstrejken-for-50-ar-sedan-sa-ser-arbetet-i-skogen-ut-nu/rx71n1gl 2025-07-19 Norrländska Socialdemokraten sv The idea of a monthly wage did not represent a straightforward net benefit to all forestry employees. Fit and healthy workers could earn much more than 4,000 SEK a month with the previous system, but some still supported the strike.Sandström David 2025-03-21 ”Viktigt att vi kommer ihåg det här” Folkbladet Västerbotten sv PressReader De som fortfarande var pigga och friska och gick på ackord kunde få ut betydligt mer än 4 000 kronor i månaden. Men även dessa ställde upp i alla fall och strejkade tillsammans med sina kamrater, minns Roger Jakobsson. Those who were still fit and healthy and worked piecework could earn considerably more than 4,000 kronor a month. But even these people stood up anyway and went on strike together with their comrades, remembers Roger Jakobsson. A 33-year old woodcutter (in his prime working years) reflected in an interview with Dagens Nyheter that during the course of a worker's lifetime, "no one loses by having a monthly salary."1975-04-03 "Var möjlighet att säga ifrån" “The opportunity to speak up” Dagens Nyheter 1 sv As a wildcat strike, it was not sanctioned by the Swedish Forest Workers' Union; they argued it had been instigated by left-wing extremists.https://www.google.com/books/edition/Strikes_Around_the_World_1968_2005/YZ2ms23ZuVQC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=1975+Swedish+forestry+workers'+strike&pg=PA331&printsec=frontcover Strikes Around the World, 1968-2005: Case-studies of 15 Countries 2007 Amsterdam University Press 978-90-5260-285-1 331 en Paul Lestander, who later was in the Riksdag from 1982 to 1991, served as a spokesperson for the workers. 2012-06-11 Paul Lestander är död - P4 Norrbotten Paul Lestander has died - P4 Norrbotten https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/5146157 2025-07-20 Sveriges Radio sv1975-03-23 Laddat för strejk inom Skogs 22 Ready for strike action within Forestry Union Branch 22 Dagens Nyheter 10 sv On 25 March, Dagens Nyheter reported a nearly complete work stoppage in Västerbotten. Roughly a third of workers went on strike in Norrbotten, a so-called sympathy strike they had already gotten monthly salaries on a trial basis. Some localities, including Kalix and Pajala, had not yet decided whether or not to participate.Tarschys Rebecka 1975-03-25 Skogsarbetarna: 5 00 strejkar Forestry workers: 5,000 on strike Dagens Nyheter 7 svEricsson Bo A. 1975-04-16 Kategoriskt nej från arbetsgivarna: "Ingen öppning" Categorical no from employers: “No opening” Dagens Nyheter 56 sv The number of participants has been variously estimated between 8,000 and 15,000. It also came to also involve workers in Västernorrland and Jämtland. Forestry worker union chairman Sixten Bäckström expressed doubt about a possible resolution in 27 March interview. He reported that the forestry employers were not willing to consider the monthly wage and daily allowance.1975-03-27 Strejkommittén: Nya instruktioner kan lösa skogskonflikt Strike committee: New instructions may resolve forest conflict Dagens Nyheter 6 sv The director of the Forestry Employers Association, Sven Malmgren, also conveyed the situation to be deadlocked on 16 April, reporting a "categorial no" from the employers. On 24 April, Dagens Nyheter reported that timber stockpiles were running low.1975-04-24 Tragedin i skogen Tragedy in the forest Dagens Nyheter 2 sv Sveriges Radio P1 held a live broadcast on 6 May about the strike from a people's house in Viksmon sv, Ångermanland.1975-05-06 "ÖPPEN KANAL" "OPEN CHANNEL" Dagens Nyheter 20 sv A strike committee meeting on 31 May in Skellefteå determined the strike would end on Monday. There were concerns raised about what should be done with the hundreds of strikebreakers who were working in the forests.Falkkloo Bengt 2025-06-01 Skogsarbetarstrejken slut efter tio veckor Forestry workers' strike ends after ten weeks Dagens Nyheter 7 sv On 3 June 1975, a formal agreement was reached. Workers would receive a monthly salary of 3,800 SEK and employers would assume responsibility for purchasing work clothes, protective gear, chainsaws, and fuel. References Sweden Organized Labour Category:Labour disputes in Sweden Category:1975 labor disputes and strikes Category:1975 in Sweden Category:March 1975 in Europe Category:April 1975 in Europe Category:May 1975 in Europe Category:June 1975 in Europe Category:20th century in Västerbotten County Category:20th century in Norrbotten County Category:20th century in Västernorrland County Category:20th century in Jämtland County Category:Wildcat strikes Category:Agriculture and forestry strikes