Sweden - Trade union confederation calls for 35-hour working week - February 28, 2026

The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) proposed a gradual shift toward a 35-hour working week without loss of pay. LO has requested negotiations with the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise to reduce weekly working hours in all sectors and demands that this be done based on a solidarity working hours policy. The decision is based on an unanimous position from both the LO board and the LO representative council, the highest decision-making bodies between congresses. The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise says that the measure would have dramatic negative effects.

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For more information, please contact Paul de Beer or Oana Ciuca, De Burcht (Scientific Bureau for the Dutch Trade Union Movement) p.t.debeer@uva.nl or the Head of communications at the ETUI, Mehmet Koksal mkoksal@etui.org. For previous full issues of the Collective bargaining newsletter please visit https://www.etui.org/Newsletters/Collective-bargaining-newsletter or consult the archive with all articles in our database at www.cbnarchive.eu. You may find further information on the ETUI at www.etui.org.