At 9 o'clock on Friday, the trade union Kommunal's strike began, which concerns, among other things, caretakers and crematorium workers within the Church of Sweden.

The strike affects 500 people and another 5,000 are covered by an overtime block.

Now the Akademikerförbundet SSR also plans to take its members on strike.

These are professional categories such as priests, deacons, HR and finance within the Church of Sweden.

SSR states that it will most likely make a decision in the afternoon if the agreement is to be terminated.

In that case, it is valid for another seven days, which would mean a clergy strike from next Friday.

In total, there are 2,000 employees within the church.

- The Church of Sweden's employers' organization is distinguished by demanding sharp deterioration in employment conditions and employment protection in order for our members to have an adjustment agreement on a par with others.

This is completely unacceptable, says Markus Furuberg, chief negotiator at Akademikerförbundet SSR in a press release.

Agreement unlikely

Baptisms, funerals and weddings can thus be affected.

According to Markus Furuberg, it is very unlikely that the parties could agree before next Friday.

Johan engelsog is a contract secretary at Kommunal.

He says the union has granted a 24-hour exemption for a number of funerals and crematoria during the morning.

- Crematorium activities that are planned during the day will be carried out during the day, he says.

However, the union will not grant exemptions in general in the future.

Too expensive agreement

The background to the strike is that the unions and the Church of Sweden's employers' organization have not agreed on a new agreement.

Yesterday, the employer said no to the mediators' final offer, while the employees said yes.

From the union's side, it is believed that the conflict is about having equal adjustment opportunities as many others in the labor market, without agreeing to the terms of the agreements deteriorating.

The Church of Sweden's employers' organization, in turn, believes that the agreement will be too expensive.

- In a negotiation, you have to give and take, but there is also a limit to how expensive an agreement can be.

The Church of Sweden's activities are financed by membership fees and many congregations have very scarce resources, says Cecilia Herm, chief negotiator at the Church of Sweden's employers' organization in a press release from Thursday.

Hear Kommunal's union chairman about Friday's strike in the clip below.

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"It's a big strike that will break out, it will be felt" - Hear Kommunal's union chairman about Friday's strike.

Photo: TT