Shift change at Scania in Södertälje resulted in Labor getting reactions to the wage levels in the new industrial agreement concluded on Friday. Assembler Sanharib Tisel is dissatisfied with the new wage level of 4.1 percent this year and 3.3 percent next year, stating that it fails to keep up with the rising costs of living. Fitter colleague Alexandra Johansson Litzén agrees, believing that an 8 percent increase would have been reasonable. Shift leader Max Väisänen sees pros and cons in the agreement but worries about future inflation. Club chairman of IF Metall, Michael Lyngsie, is pleasantly surprised and sees the outcome as pretty good. However, members are pushing for more in local negotiations, and the fact that the agreement is for two years and inflation is uncertain presents some risk.
Shift change at Scania in Södertälje. Some are heading in while others are going home for the day when Labor is in place to get reactions to the wage levels in the new industrial agreement concluded on Friday: 4.1 percent this year and 3.3 next year.
“It’s nothing”
Assembler Sanharib Tisel thinks it is far too little.
– It’s nothing. Everything is getting more expensive, the electricity alone costs me 8,000 a month and then more expensive food, higher interest rates and the petrol prices on top of that.
What do you think would have been a reasonable salary increase?
– If you were to get 5,000–6,000, that would be good. It would help a lot.
So you don’t buy the argument that excessive wage increases would drive inflation even more?
– Both yes and no. It’s easy for them to say that, but for us who pay a lot compared to what we get in salary, you can barely get by. These are difficult times, says Sanharib Tisel.
Assembler Sanharib Tisel.
“Should have been 8 percent”
And he gets agreement from the fitter colleague Alexandra Johansson Litzén that the level is way too low.
– 8 percent. I think that would have been reasonable. Everything is becoming more expensive, but the salary is not keeping up.
Leo Rezania, on the other hand, is pleasantly surprised. She was not aware that a new agreement had been concluded.
– How nice. It’s better than nothing anyway, even if it doesn’t cover inflation. But I probably need to read up a bit more.
Alexandra Johansson Litzén.
Leo Cuts.
“Relatively satisfied”
Shift leader Max Väisänen sees both pros and cons of the new agreement.
– I need to bring in money to survive, of course. Right now my situation is relatively stable, but a higher salary is always good. And if inflation continues to rise and we don’t get enough wage increases, then it’s going to be tough.
The fact that already this year also decides how big the salary increases will be next year, despite the fact that the future is uncertain, he sees as less good.
– Yes, it’s probably a shot in the dark. Right now I’m still relatively satisfied with what they’ve agreed on, but if inflation continues to increase, it will get worse, says Max Väisänen.
Max Vaisänen.
“Still pretty good”
Michael Lyngsie is club chairman for nearly 5,000 IF Metall members at Scania. He is nevertheless pleasantly surprised by the outcome of this year’s negotiations.
– If you look at what the employers answered in their first bid, compared to what we got, it’s still pretty good.
He still sees that there may be problems explaining to the members why they should hold back at the same time as inflation eats away at purchasing power.
Pressure from members
And there is clear pressure from the members that the local negotiations should give more than the mark, which is 4.1 percent this year.
Scania is doing well and there is great competition for labor in the Stockholm area.
– We should probably be able to get a little more out, we usually can, says Michael Lyngsie.
The fact that it was a two-year agreement, where the level for next year is already decided, he sees as taking a small risk.
– If the Riksbank gets rid of inflation, that’s good, but it’s hard to know right now.