For members who have not been called out on strike

Forskerforbundet and Unio are on strike in the state sector from Friday 24 May. 

Carrying out a strike is demanding, both for the organization and for the individual member. It is therefore important that you, who have not gone on strike, show solidarity with your colleagues who are on strike duty and who are fighting for you. Because you are also a party to a conflict.

What is a strike?

A strike is industrial action and a legal means of struggle under the collective bargaining agreement, which can be implemented when negotiations and mediation have failed. The aim is to force the employer back to the negotiating table in order to obtain an acceptable solution.

Does the strike concern me when I have not been called out on strike?

Being a member of a trade union entails both rights and duties. One of the duties is that the individual member must participate in the fight for pay and working conditions after further notification from the management of the confederation Unio, of which Forskerforbundet is a member union.

It is normal for a minority of the members in the unions to go on strike on behalf of everyone. It is therefore important to clarify that when a collective agreement area in Unio is in conflict, everyone in the collective agreement area is in conflict, whether they have gone on strike or not.

What should I do if I have not been called out on strike?

All members in a tariff area that are in conflict should familiarize themselves with the strike basis. In that way, they can contribute with support and arguments for why Unio is on strike. Members within a collective bargaining area who are in conflict but have not gone on strike are expected to loyally support the strike and those on strike.

Can I support the strike in any way, even if I am not called out on strike?

Among other things, you can be active on social media by spreading the strike message. You can also encourage your friends and colleagues to support the strike.

What happens to the cooperation between union representatives and the employer where no members have been taken out on strike?

When a strike occurs, all contact between the union representatives and the employer's representatives is broken at all workplaces within the collective bargaining area. This also applies to those workplaces where no members have been taken out on strike.

In all workplaces, whether there is a strike or not, all ordinary party contact must cease, such as local wage negotiations, special agreement negotiations, matters that fall under the Basic Agreement and the like. This also applies to participation in councils and committees, such as party-composed committees, and all other contexts where one sits in the capacity of being a representative of one's union. Matters regulated by the Working Environment Act and the State Employees Act (such as personnel matters and appointments councils) must be handled in the usual way, regardless of whether union representatives are on strike or not.

Will I receive information about the strike when I have not been called out on strike myself?

While Unio is responsible for informing striking members, each individual union is responsible for informing those who are not on strike. Follow Forskerforbundet’s website, our Facebook page, and our newsletters for updates.

Can I be assigned to do the work of someone who is on strike?

The main rule is that a strike neither reduces nor extends the work obligation of those employees who are not covered by the strike. If you work in a strike-affected enterprise, but have not yourself gone on strike, you must therefore continue with your ordinary work. You must not work more or do other tasks than you would otherwise do.

What is strike-breaking?

Strike-breaking means that work subject to a strike is nevertheless carried out without a dispensation. Strike-breaking undermines the effect of the strike and has a demoralizing effect. It is strikebreaking regardless of whether the work is carried out by the person who has been called out on strike or by someone else – inside or outside the company. There are basically very few people who can legally carry out strike-related tasks. Who this is, is clarified in more detail in the individual bargaining area.

If strike-breaking takes place, how is it handled?

It is the individual union that in each individual case assesses and defines what is to be regarded as strike-breaking. Members at strike-affected workplaces who have not themselves gone on strike have a special responsibility to prevent strike-breaking. Unio and the member organizations will react strongly to strike-breaking during a legal industrial action.

Can I report strike-breaking?

Should you receive information indicating that strike-breaking is taking place, you must immediately report this to your local union representative.