The Swedish Textile Workers' Union ( sv, Svenska Textilarbetareförbundet, Textil) was a
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...
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 Link� ...
in 1898, soon moving its headquarters to
Gothenburg and then to
Stockholm, 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.
[{{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 (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
, 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 and the
Swedish Clothing Workers' Union, to form the
Swedish Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Union
The Swedish Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Union ( sv, Beklädnadsarbetarnas förbund. Textil Konfektion Läder, Beklädnads) was a trade union representing workers in several related industries in Sweden.
The union was founded on 1 Januar ...
.
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