Swedes fear alcohol shortage as Systembolaget summer strike looms
If there's one way to spark the ire of Swedes, it's by telling them they may not get their aquavit in time for Midsummer.
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Swedes' access to alcohol could be limited this summer after the Unionen trade union threatened to launch industrial action at Swedish state-owned alcohol chain Systembolaget unless it reaches an agreement with business organisation Svensk Handel by June 10th.
The strike would affect Systembolaget's headquarters as well as warehouses in Stockholm, Kungsängen, Sundsvall and Örebro. The warehouses supply alcohol to the chain's stores, and several hundred Unionen members would be involved in the strike.
There is a risk that shelves could run dry as a result, and that some stores may even have to close.
"The Midsummer Eve snaps is in danger," reads a headline in the Aftonbladet newspaper.
The sticking point, according to Unionen, is its demands for part-time employees to be given the same rights to overtime compensation as full-time employees when they work more than their contracted hours. "We demand fair conditions for everyone," it said in a statement.
"We regret that Unionen is choosing this path," said a representative from Svensk Handel in a statement.
In Sweden, Systembolaget has a monopoly on over-the-counter sales of drinks with an alcohol content stronger than 3.5 percent ABV.
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