Trade Union Activism in the Nordic Countries since 1900

Preface
Contents
Notes on Contributors
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Trade Union Activism in the Nordic Countries: Introduction
	Trade Union Activism in the Nordic Countries: Old and New Perspectives
	The Structure of the Book
	References
2 Labor Market Struggles and Labor Market Relations in the Nordic Countries, 1848–2020: Trends and Fluctuations
	From Hunger Riots to Strikes and Lockouts
	The Great Test of Strength, 1900–1920
	The Consolidation of the Trade Union Movement, 1920–1939
	War, Occupation, and Opposition, 1940–1945
	From Neo-Corporatism and Industrial Peace to Renewed Industrial Activity, 1946–1985
	Changing Classes and Labor Market Structures Since 1985
	References
Part I National and Local Trade Union Activism, 1900–1939
3 The Norwegian Experience: Trade Union Opposition and Local Activism, 1900–1939
	Trade Union Centralism
	The Trade Union Opposition
	Hard Times and Increased Activism
	A Revolutionary Alternative
	Activism and Communism
	The Final Showdown
	Postscript: The Norwegian Model
	References
4 Syndicalism and Strikes in Denmark, 1917–1920: The Syndicalist Challenge to Social Democratic Trade Union Leadership
	Historiography
	Syndicalism, Social Democracy, Trade Unions, and Strikes in Denmark
	Strikes in Denmark 1917–1920
	The Eight-Hour Campaign and “Syndicalist Strikes” 1919–1920
	Conclusion
	References
5 Trade Unions, the Social Democratic Party and Labor Market Conflicts in Malmö, 1890–1910
	The State of the Labor Movement in Malmö Around 1890
	The Woodworker’s Strike in 1890
	The Battle
	The Result of the Strike
	Development After 1890
	Municipal Workers on Strike, 1908
	Meetings and Activities Among the Strikers in 1908
	Eviction of Workers and Their Families
	Conclusion
	References
6 Anti-Strikebreaker Protests and Collective Violence in Sweden, 1918–1939
	Aims and Methods
	Anti-Strikebreaker Violence in Context
	26 Strikes
	Threats and Physical Intimidations
	‘Following the Strikebreakers Home’
	Expulsions
	Abductions and Forced Marches
	Mock Trials
	Bombings
	A Repertoire of Anti-Strikebreaker Collective Violence
	References
Part II National and Local Trade Union Activism, 1940–2020
7 Social Movement Unionism in Denmark, 1940–1985
	Occupation, Collaboration and General Strikes, 1943–1946
	Industrial Conflict and Industrial Relations, 1947–1967
	Industrial and Social Upheaval 1968–1985
		Industrial Conflict and Forms of Organization
	Public Employees Between Mass Organizations and Action Networks
	Three Waves of Social Movement Unionism in Denmark
	References
8 Mass Labor Protest and Trade Union Activism in Early Post-War Copenhagen
	The July 4 Demonstration
	The Typographical Conflict of 1947
	Concluding Discussion
	References
9 Reluctant Vanguard? Finnish Building Workers’ Unions and Strikes, 1949–1973
	Bitter Experience
	Reluctant Vanguard of the Working Class
	Strategically Targeted Strikes Instead of Political Education of Workers by Mass Strike Experience
	Incomes Policy, the Construction Workers’ Union, and the Hard-core Minority of SKP
	Conclusions
	References
10 The Peak Strike Period in Finland, 1970–1980: Wildcat Strikes and Income Politics
	Unstable Industrial Relations After the Second World War
	Strength of Workers and Unions
	Peaks of Industrial Conflict, 1970–1980
	Wildcat Strikes as Part of Local Bargaining
	Conclusion
	References
11 From Street Fighting years to Seizing the Agenda. Labor Militancy Challenging the Establishment in Norway, 1976–2010
	Street Fighting Years
	Social Democratic Labour Reforms
	A Regional Industrial Shift
	Ideological Disarray
	Unemployment and Closing Bell
	1986: Industrial Capital and a Moment of Hubris
	Fixing an Alternative Agenda: The Rise of the Trondheim Conference
	The Unions and the European Single Market
	The Challengers: A Conclusive Remark
	References
12 Reaching Out. Oslo Construction Workers and Migrant Workers, 2004–2014
	Types of Unionism, Phases of Mobilization
	Social Unionism—Foothold and Breakthrough
	Stabilization—The Tricky Third Phase
	Political Unionism—Collaborating with the State Authorities
	Business Unionism—Collaborating with Factions of Capital
	Challenges to Unionization: Nationality or Instability and Unpredictability?
	What’s at Stake?
	References
13 Trade Unions’ Protest Cycles in Sweden, 1980–2020
	Theoretical Framework and Description of the Data
	Changes in the Swedish Industrial Relations Regime and the Decline of Strikes
	Examining Displacement: Have Other Protest Activities Replaced Strikes?
	Have Protest Events Shifted Focus Toward Wage Claims?
	Conclusions
	References
Part III Comparative Perspective
14 Lockouts in Scandinavia, c. 1900–1938
	Material and Methods
	Scandinavian Lockout Statistics
		A Quantitative Comparison: Scandinavia vs The Netherlands
	The Scandinavian Sympathy Lockout
		Danish Employers Lead the Way
		Union Recognition. Swedish Employers Follow Suit
		The Preferred Choice: A Social Democratic, Centralized Opponent
		Recession Lockouts
		The Lockout as a Collective Action Problem
	Scandinavian Lockouts Versus American Strikebreaking
	Conclusion
	Appendix: Norwegian Conflict Statistics
	References
15 Wildcat Strikes Between 1960 and 1973: A German-Danish Comparison
	Labor Struggles Before 1968
		Denmark: Wildcat Strikes During the Economic Boom
		Germany: Cold War and “Localization”
	Labor Unrest Around 1968
		Wildcat Strikes and New Trade Union Policy in Denmark
		From the Septemberstreiks to the Crisis
	Summary
	References
16 Developing Public Sector Trade Unionism in Scandinavia: From Noble Civil Servants to Militant Wage Earners
	Developing the Frameworks for Collective Bargaining—The Private Sector Beginning
	Reforming the Civil Servant Systems—The First Steps Toward Public Sector Unionism
	Copying the Collective Bargaining Model
	Public Sector Trade Union Activism Today
	Concluding Remarks—From Noble Civil Servants to Militant Wage Earners
	References
17 Closing the Gender Pay Gap: Global Concepts, Local Negotiations in Iceland and Sweden, 1900–1985
	Local Struggles, National Governments, and International Organizations
	Periodization of International Political Opportunity Structures c. 1870–1980s
	International Mobilization Structures Reaching Globally
	Between the Shopfloor and the International Arena—Sweden and Iceland, 1900–1940
	1940s–1965: New Political Opportunities and Internalization
	The Synergy of Icelandic and International Opportunity Structures
	International Opportunity Structures Challenge the Swedish Model of Labor Relations
	1966–1985 Global Framing in Iceland and Sweden
	Concluding Remarks
	References
Index