Just before Easter, work at the Serafen retirement home in Stockholm was stopped by security agents who demanded better covid protection for the staff.

The Swedish Work Environment Authority gave them the right, and stated in an attentive decision that Serafen's staff must have both visor and oral protection in all patient-related work with infected. The message was appealed by the employer and welcomed by the union. 

During the Easter weekend came a play from the Swedish Work Environment Authority and three other authorities. In two statements, the importance of the Serafen decision was downplayed, and it was highlighted that it would not be perceived as a general requirement. (See fact box.)

- We thought it was strange that the authorities were so quick and promptly wanted out just the Easter weekend, says the union's local council chairman Tobias Baudin to SVT.

SKR called for a meeting

The four authorities themselves were senders, but SVT's review shows that they did not act on their own. It was the interest organization SKR, Sweden's municipalities and regions, that called the authorities to the meeting that led to the play.

- We made the decision and saw that it had come to a sharper position here, says Fredrik Lennartsson, head of SKR's department of care and care.

SKR was worried that more security agents would stop the work with the same requirements as Serafen, and felt that the authorities also saw a problem with conflicting messages.

After the publication, SKR was able to welcome the authorities' statements that diminished the Serafen requirement and instead emphasized the recommendations of the Public Health Authority - which do not have corresponding oral protection requirements.

See no problems

The authorities see nothing controversial in the cooperation.

- It is very important that we have a good dialogue. Now a signal came from those representing employers that greater clarity was needed from us. Then I think it is a good collaboration when we have been able to respond to it, says the Swedish Work Environment Authority's chief lawyer Anna Varg.

SKR was also involved in the design of the play. But according to the parties involved, the question of not disclosing the role of the organization was never raised.

- No, it is the expert authorities and the supervisory authorities that are responsible for that communication, says Fredrik Lennartsson.