Var är strejkbrytarna? : En komparativ studie om strejkbryteriet inom hamnarna och metallindustrin under perioden 1908–1909, och varför hamnarna var mer utsatta än metallindustrin

Sammanfattning

The aim of this paper is to explore the phenomenon of strikebreaking in the Swedish labour market during the years 1908–1909, and why the ports were more affected by strikebreakers than the metal industry. The study is designed as a comparative analysis of the two industries, analysing and comparing the unions’ annual reports, and statistics gathered by the Swedish government. The empirical results are then put into context with the previous research regarding strikebreaking as a phenomenon and what might affect the different rates of strikebreaking within different industries and locations. The study establishes the greater extent of which strikebreaking affected the unions and the conflicts in the ports compared to the metal industry, and it concludes that strikebreakers were easier to employ within the ports due to a greater availability of able-working manpower which were not affected by geographical or social solidarity. The higher frequency of strikebreaking within ports were also found the be due to the sensitivity of the ports as an industry compared to the metal industry. The ports were integral to the rest of the Swedish infrastructure and business and thus were sensitive to conflicts. Work could also not be stored as it could in metalwork which meant that the ports were more affected by strikes than in the metal industry. It was also established that the economic recession covering the period of the study also affected the employers’ attitudes when it comes to engaging in conflicts and employing strikebreakers when storerooms were full and prices low.