Sweden labor unions prepare to push for shorter working hours

The debate over reducing working hours is set to become a central issue in Sweden's 2027 collective bargaining negotiations. Several white-collar unions, including SSR and Unionen, have indicated that shorter working weeks are a high priority for their members, particularly as a means to sustain long-term employment capacity.

There are significant disparities in current working hours across different sectors. Industrial unions such as IF Metall and Sveriges Ingenjörer have successfully secured shorter hours, with some technical agreements averaging approximately 38 hours per week. In contrast, sectors like retail and education, which are often female-dominated, have seen less reduction from the standard 40-hour week. Analysts suggest these differences stem from varying negotiation strengths and different sectoral priorities, such as increasing full-time employment rates in retail.

Small business owners have raised concerns regarding the economic impact of a potential shift to a 35-hour work week. Critics argue that if wages remain unchanged, the cost per hour worked will increase by 12.5 percent. For service-oriented businesses like restaurants, shops, and tradespeople, where productivity cannot easily be increased through automation or scale, such changes could lead to higher consumer prices, lower margins, or reduced hiring capacity.