SSAB disputes police detention of 20 Filipino engineers in Sweden

A legal dispute has emerged following a police raid at SSAB’s steelworks in Oxelösund, Sweden, where 20 Filipino workers were detained. While police claim the individuals lack the right to work in Sweden, SSAB CEO Johnny Sjöström disputes this assessment.

Sjöström maintains that the workers are highly qualified engineers employed by a Dutch contractor and are entitled to work in Sweden under EU posting of workers regulations. The legal representatives for the workers have appealed the deportation and detention decisions, arguing that the employees are covered by EU rules allowing companies established in one member state to temporarily send staff to another.

Conversely, Swedish authorities are questioning whether the workers have sufficient ties to the Dutch labor market to qualify for exemptions from Swedish work permit requirements. The Dutch employer’s legal counsel has criticized the police action, suggesting it violates EU law and may lead to claims for damages.