The general strike in Sweden 1909

Abstract

This book deals with the events leading up to the great Swedish labour conflict of 1909, which began in June of that year with an extensive lockout by the three national employers' associations led by the newly formed confederation of big industrial concerns, Svenska Arbetsgivare Förening (SAF), and was extended on 4 August by the Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions (Landsorganisationen or LO) into a general strike involving 300,000 workers. By 4 September the trade unions were compelled to look for a way of terminating the conflict. After the defeat they had consequently lost half their members by 1910. The employers' organisations were then able to ensure peace on the labour market right up to 1917. Nevertheless they accepted the principle of collective bargaining, although they did not achieve the basic general agreement with established negotiating procedure which had been their aim in the struggle of 1909.