The parties have agreed that employers in essential activities can apply for an exemption to allow employees to work up to 24 hours per day. The exemption is valid for a maximum of one year.
The trade union Kommunal also confirms the agreement on its website.
"The new agreements will be submitted to the European Commission and included in the review of the basic agreement on working hours reached by the parties on 30 November 2022," says Ulf Olsson, chairman of SALAR's negotiating delegation and Sobona's association board in a press release.
The EU has questioned working hours
As of 1 October, SALAR changes its rules for daily rest. The European Commission has questioned whether the collective agreement is compatible with the EU Working Time Directive in certain parts.
Working time directives mean that employees must have eleven hours of rest during a day. This may mean that schedules change for firefighters, among other things, and that they are prohibited from working day-long shifts.
An EU directive sets targets for the member states to achieve, but they are free to decide how this is to be done.
Negotiations are still ongoing with the Swedish Medical Association.