Several security agents in Gothenburg got together and reported their poor working conditions when they felt they were not listened to by their managers. This was last December.

- It was about colleagues who resigned and who became long-term sick leave. I found staff crying in the stairwells because they couldn't cope anymore. They were completely destroyed, says the security representative Silvana Vretoska, who works as a nurse in the home service in Askim-Frölunda-Högsbo.

50 notifications

In total, the safety ombudsman made about 50 so-called 6: 6a reports to the Swedish Work Environment Authority on unsustainable working conditions, something that was noticed in the media.

However, according to the safety ombudsman, the attention of the managers in the operations was not appreciated.

- After that, the climate got tougher when talking to the employer. For example, I was told that it was "my" 6: 6a notifications and that we had not gone "the right way". Everywhere in the district we were told that they were treated very poorly, says Silvana Vretoska.

Requirements of the Work Environment Authority

The trade union Municipality in the west is now conducting its own investigation in which they survey what the safety delegates have been exposed to. The Swedish Work Environment Authority also requires responses from the employer on a number of points that deal with short travel times, work tools that do not work and unclear arboretum tasks.

On the employer's side, they are misunderstood about reprisals they would hand out and they wait to have a meeting with the Municipal on what they are accused of.

- I don't recognize this at all. But of course, if someone comes up with these kinds of questions, we have to look at it. There may be something we missed and then we will investigate it because it may not occur at all, says Tina Isaksson, who is the sector manager for elderly care in Askim-Frölunda-Högsbo.

Should it have to go so far as to have to report on their work environment instead of something happening before then?

- I agree, we have to work on these types of questions all the time. And since these reports came, we have worked a lot on our action plans together with Municipal. But it is clear that you can be late and think that we would not end up in this situation, says Tina Isaksson.