Swedish unions, why do we suck? A syndicalist attempt to provide solutions
Outside of Sweden, people are often impressed by the fact that a majority of Swedish employees are unionized and work under collective agreements. But Swedish unions’ ability to defend workers’ interests is declining, argues Rasmus Hästbacka, showing that high union density is no guarantee of strength or militancy.
Let’s find alternatives to striking
This article is taken from the website Organizing Work, published on November 8, 2021. A different version was originally published in Swedish. The authors argue for a third path between the “consensus fundamentalism” of Sweden’s mainstream labor bureaucracy, and the “romanticization” of strikes among the grassroots — namely, re-learning how to build pressure within the workplace.
FAQ on syndicalism
22 online questions and answers. Launched by the syndicalist union SAC in Sweden, more precisely by its Local in the city of Umeå (northern Sweden). www.sac.se/LS/Umeå/FAQ.
Greetings from Sweden: A dual-track syndicalism?
This article was originally published in the American labor magazine ASR in the summer of 2021. The author argues for developing SAC as a popular movement union, rather than turning SAC into a "revolutionary" cadre union.
A Syndicalist Strategy for the Swedish Labour Market
The article is taken from the CounterPunch website. Originally published in Swedish. About offensive trade union strategies despite contemporary anti-strike legislation.
Swedish syndicalism: an outline of its ideology and practice
A simple PDF version of a forthcoming book, aimed at readers new to Swedish syndicalism. It will be published in printed form, as an ebook and audio book, both in English and Swedish, by the Umeå Local of SAC. The ebook and audio book will be available online free of charge here.
Beyond May Day: From Ritual to Resistance
The present period offers some new and encouraging openings—windows of opportunity for radical perspectives and movements against and beyond states and capital. To take advantage of this moment it is necessary to take a hard look at the ingrained rituals that have come to dominate movements.
[VIDEO] How to Grow a Movement: Tips for Activists & Organizers
Advice that is useful for any organizer or activist, to help your organization or movement grow in both size and active participation.
This advice draws from two sources:
1. Social psychology
2. Real life examples of successful mass movements and organizing campaigns
This video is an episode of the Aktion Show, a weekly livestream about praxis and direct action, but includes a brief intro and outro that was not part of the show. Skip to 4:03 for the main presentation.
Curing The English Disease
In 1976, the Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan declared that the "English disease" of indiscipline and labour militancy was undermining the profitability of UK capital. Curing the "English disease" became the raison d’etre of the ruling class.
Article on New Labour and plans for resistance from Black Flag #220 (2001)
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