The Swedish Textile Workers' Union (, Textil) was a

trade union A trade union (British English) or labor union (American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers whose purpose is to maintain or improve the conditions of their employment, such as attaining better wages ...

representing workers in the textile industry in Sweden. The union was founded in

Norrköping Norrköping ( , ) is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County, about 160 km southwest of the national capital Stockholm, 40 km east of county seat Lin ...

in 1898, soon moving its headquarters to

Gothenburg Gothenburg ( ; ) is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, second-largest city in Sweden, after the capital Stockholm, and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated by the Kattegat on the west coast of Sweden, it is the gub ...

and then to

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

, but returned to Norrköping in 1912. In 1914, it negotiated its first national agreement on pay and working conditions, while in 1931 it set up an unemployment fund. In 1932, it affiliated to the

Swedish Trade Union Confederation The Swedish Trade Union Confederation ( ; literally "The National Organisation in Sweden"), commonly referred to as LO (), is a national trade union centre, an umbrella organisation for fourteen Swedish trade unions that organise mainly "blue-c ...

.{{cite book , last1=Ebbinghaus , first1=Bernhard , last2=Visser , first2=Jelle , title=Trade Unions in Western Europe Since 1945 , date=2000 , publisher=Palgrave Macmillan , location=Basingstoke , isbn=0333771125 , page=626–630 On formation, the union had 500 members, but it grew rapidly. The Rope Makers' Union joined in 1906, and by 1907, it had 8,978 members, the majority of whom were women. Membership boomed after

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and reached an all-time peak of 47,612 in 1951. It then declined, in line with employment in the industry. The Swedish Weaving Union joined in 1970, but by 1972, membership was down to 21,215. The following year, it merged with the

Swedish Shoe and Leather Workers' Union The Swedish Shoe and Leather Workers' Union (, SSoL) was a trade union representing workers in the leather industry in Sweden. The union was founded on 13 August 1888 in Stockholm, as the Swedish Shoemakers' Union, with 366 members. It affiliate ...

and the Swedish Clothing Workers' Union, to form the Swedish Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Union.

References

1898 establishments in Sweden 1973 disestablishments in Sweden Swedish Trade Union Confederation Textile and clothing trade unions Trade unions in Sweden Trade unions established in 1898 Trade unions disestablished in 1973 19th-century establishments in Östergötland County