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Collaboration

An employer can work together with the trade unions through the Employment Co-Determination in the Workplace Act (MBL) or through collaboration (samverkan). The latter entails that some parts of MBL are replaced with other stipulations, and is recommended by our contact union Engineers of Sweden (SI). The purpose of collaboration is to create conditions for management and employees to develop the organization together. Collaboration is regulated in a central collaboration agreement, and complemented with a local collaboration agreement that emphasizes and clarifies the central framework.

Collaboration at several levels 

The trade unions can influence decisions through information, dialogue and discussion at the earliest possible opportunity prior to decisions that affect employees. The responsibility to provide documentation for collaboration lies with the employer.

Collaboration should take place at the level where the decision is made: 

  • At the central level, in the Central Collaboration Group (Centrala samverkansgruppen, CSG). Prior to decisions by the President and prior to decisions taken by the Faculty Board or equivalent collegial body. 

  • At the school level, in each School Collaboration Group (skolsamverkansgrupp, SSG). 

  • At the departmental level, in the Local Collaboration Group (lokal samverkansgrupp, LSG), in cases where the Head of School has delegated responsibility for making certain decisions to the Head of Department/equivalent. 

The Central Collaboration Group (CSG) 

The chairperson and vice chairperson of the board of the local Saco-S association represent Saco-S’s members in the Central Collaboration Group CSG. CSG has appointed joint preparatory committees for different subject areas: the Human Resources Planning Committee (Personalplaneringskommitté, PPK); the Committee for Equality, Diversity, and Equal Treatment Issues (Jämställdhets- och mångfaldskommitté, JMK); the Work Environment Committee; and the Editorial Committee. 

More about the Central Collaboration Group 

You can contact the board’s chairperson or the election committee if you are interested in being a part of the board or want to engage yourself in another way. If we are in urgent need of your competencies, it is possible to join right away as a temporary union representative, though normally the election committee makes an overall assessment and proposal for the board’s compilation in preparation of the annual meeting. 

The School Collaboration Groups (SSG)

At the schools (and at operational support (VS)), collaboration entails influence over the processes that concern the respective school’s activities. Important topics are re-organisation and work environment issues connected to e.g. physical relocation of staff. The employer has a responsibility towards providing supporting documents for collaboration ranging from recruitment permissions, architectural blueprints, to financial documentation etc. 

In the board you’ll find a contact person for each of the schools (and for operational support (VS)). The board appoints a representative for each of the School Collaboration Groups (SSG). If you are interested in this role, please get in touch with the chairperson or the contact person for your school for more information. 

More about the School Collaboration Groups