The Swedish economy is becoming increasingly competitive. It’s not just about pressure on prices, but increasingly to the pace of innovation increases. The Swedish economy is becoming increasingly knowledge-intensive. Goods, services, and business models evolve at a rapid pace. This is for many companies the big challenge. Therefore, the critical skills shortages a major competitiveness problems. It is not possible to find people with the right skills, then we may not compete successfully.
Industrial competitors have to a great extent their employees abroad, and our industry is therefore affected by the relative cost position compared with other countries. In preparation for the upcoming round of wage negotiations, we believe that the industry continued to be lönenormerande. Therefore, it is reasonable to also focus on how the development within the industry has been when we should assess what wage growth has meant and what is reasonable for the future.
the Swedish labour costs calculated per hour in common currency today is below the average in Western europe.
According to the confederation of Swedish Enterprise, the Swedish wages increased rapidly in the last few years. We believe that it is to shuffle away the cards. As regards the wage formation, it is also in the future development of wages in the industry compared with other countries that should be in focus. The rate of wage increases has since 2013, clearly set down, among other things, as a consequence of the lower productivity. Within the Swedish industry wages rose in the years 2016-18 at the same rate as in Germany and slightly more than the average in Western europe. Swedish labour costs calculated per hour in common currency today is below the average in Western europe.
the development of Productivity has slowed down in Sweden and abroad. It is also difficult to measure productivity, not least in research and development. But from a konkurrenskraftsperspektiv it is the comparison between Sweden and other countries is important. The development of productivity in the Swedish industry has been good compared with the important competitor countries in recent years. We believe, therefore, that the industry has been able to bear the wage increase we have had, without that competitiveness is threatened.
the confederation of Swedish Enterprise negative view of the development likely to damage both the Industriavtalet and competitiveness. Will be the rate of wage increases in next year’s round of wage negotiations unreasonably low will the pressure from other industries and groups that deviate from the industrinormeringen be great. Näringslivsföreträdarna seems almost tone-deaf when it comes to this. Additionally, for low or negative real pay increases hurt the competitiveness as it becomes more difficult to retain and recruit skills, not least within industry.
the Unions within the industry represents a balanced picture of the development of the Swedish economy and industry. It should be the confederation of Swedish Enterprise.
