What are the risks?
Working in the forest is associated with big risks. Since 1998 roughly 50 fatal accidents have occurred, most of them in manual harvesting. And working in forest that has been felled by a storm is one of the most risky jobs you can do. When the big storm of 1969 felled a lot of forest the eventual result was at least 50 dead forest workers. That is why it is imperative that work be organised so that dangers to both long-term and short-term health and safety are minimised. The length of a shift, the opportunity for rest, enough breaks, and decent sleep between shifts are factors of great importance when it comes to minimising the risk of injury.
Everyone has a responsibility to see to it that instructions and rules are followed. The health and safety representative and the local health and safety representative are there to help with advice and draw attention to failings. A health and safety officer may also halt work which is being done in the wrong way. The employer always has the responsibility for the working environment.
More information is also available on the website of the Swedish Work Environment Authority, see, for example, AFS 1982:3 Working alone, 2000:2 The use of chain saws and clearing saws and 2004:1 Systematic Work Environment management.
What about insurance?
If an accident happens it is important that the insurance cover is adequate. If the employer is a member of the Federation of Swedish Forestal and Agricultural Employers or has signed the separate local collective agreement, a so-called ”hängavtal” with the Swedish Forest and Wood Trade Union, then the necessary insurance cover is there.
ALWAYS CHECK WITH ONE OF THE UNION’S LOCAL OFFICES BEFORE YOU START TO CHECK IF THE EMPLOYER HAS A VALID COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT!
The collective agreement also regulates which salary and other compensations the employer should pay as well as when salaries and other compensations should be raised.
What does a forest worker make on average?
According to the union’s calculations the average salary for forest work is approximately 129 SEK per hour, or around 22 500 SEK per month. This is a salary without various additional payments for things such as working uncomfortable hours (called OB-ersättning, in Swedish), and also for overtime etc. (This information is estimated based on the salary arrangements that have come to our attention at the union).
What exactly is the uncomfortable hours compensation (OB)?
OB compensation is paid when a person works outside the times of 06.30–17.00 on weekdays.
OB compensation levels are:
· Weekdays between 17.00–06.30: 29.84 SEK per hour
· Saturdays: 46.91 SEK per hour
· Sundays, weekends and the eve of major holidays: 70.35 SEK per hour
At some companies local collective agreements have been entered into resulting in higher compensation levels.
What is overtime?
When working more than the normal working time, overtime compensation of 37.38 SEK per hour is paid. When working overtime outside normal hours one is also entitled to OB compensation.
What about working times?
When working daytime hours there is a 40 hour week per holiday-free week (Monday – Friday) and 38 hour week when doing 2-shift work. To work nights it is necessary for the employer and the local office to have signed a local agreement regarding this. When doing shift work the weekly hours are reduced but the salary is to be the same as when one has worked 40 hours.
Who stands for travel costs?
The employer stands for costs associated with travel in the first instance but if the employer and the employee agree that the employee should use his own car then the employee should pay 27.50 SEK per 10 km + 1 SEK per 10 km for every other person in the car.
What about accommodation?
The employer shall supply accommodation of an adequate standard and pay expenses according to the agreement.
How do holidays work?
The main rule is that all employees have the right to 25 days of holidays.
What about holiday pay?
Holiday pay is 13% of all pay during the year of income. A certain amount of absence also gives the right to holiday pay. Holiday pay is to be paid out in connection with the holiday and may therefore not be clumped with the normal salary.
How does the “working time account” work?
3 % of all salary earned is earmarked for the working time account. This may not either be clumped together with the normal salary.
Holiday pay due and the working time account shall be paid in connection with the final salary.
Salary slip
Make sure that you get a proper salary slip where hours worked, all compensation paid and tax deductions are accounted for. Remember to save the salary slips for your tax declaration so that you can check that the employer has stated the correct income to the tax authority and that the preliminary tax deducted has been paid.
Foreign workers
Swedish collective agreements are valid in Sweden which means that workers from other countries shall have at a minimum the benefits stated in the Swedish collective agreement. (The outplacement directive)
The Swedish Forest and Wood trade union will demand of all employers using foreign labour that they sign a collective agreement regardless of the nationality of the workers concerned.
Please note: This is a translation of an excerpt from the Swedish collective agreement and is therefore not considered binding. Please consult the Swedish collective agreement for more detailed and up-to-date information on further compensation items and rules or make contact with one of the local offices where they can give you more information.
Both employer and employee should in the first instance search for information at one of the union’s local offices.
To do this go to the web page www. Skogstrafacket.org , click on “avdelningar”, the map of Sweden then opens with the local offices illustrated. Click on the office you need, a box with the names of the people working at the office will appear. Click on one of the ombudsmen, a box with the required telephone number will appear. At all local offices there is at least one official who speaks English.
