The agreement entails a salary increase of 7.4 percent spread over two years. The first year yields 4.1 percent and the second 3.3 percent.

But what does that mean for the average person?

Sociology professor Lotta Stern, vice president and responsible for labor market research at the Business Research Institute Ratio, answers six questions.

What is the industrial agreement and why is it so important?

"It sets the so-called mark for wage formation. The label shows how large wage increases the Swedish economy can withstand on average.

Is everyone getting 4.1 percent this year, regardless of industry?

- No, but the vast majority stick to the mark even though it's not really illegal to violate it. 4.1 says where to end up in round turns. Individually, you can get both more and less.

What is realistic to expect?

"Expect to end up somewhere between 3.8 and 4.3 percent. But it can look different, especially if you work at a small, start-up company without a collective agreement. But I'd be surprised if there are any major departures.

Can I take part in the increase if I am not in the union?

"If the company you work with has a collective agreement, what the union and the employer organization have negotiated applies to the entire company. It has nothing to do with union affiliation. However, it should be clear that the union only negotiates for its members. This does not automatically mean that you are negatively affected as a non-union member, but you need to have more control over what is going on around the salary talks because the union will prioritize raising wages the most for its members.

There is talk of record-high pay rises this year. What does that mean?

"This is the highest increase since the agreement came into being in 1997. It sounds like a lot, but you will probably be disappointed if you think that it means an increase in purchasing power. On the contrary, most of us will lose in purchasing power.

What's next?

" The industrial agreement is the starting shot, now all other unions and employers' organizations must also agree. It can take time, how long is hard to say. The process continues.