Sweden: Opposition to unemployment insurance reform

One of the key policies of the centre-right government that took office after the general election in September 2006 (Sweden: Major labour reforms ahead) is a reform of unemployment insurance (EER 394 p.14). This will involve a cut in the benefits paid by voluntary unemployment insurance funds (UIFs) - which are run mainly by trade unions (European Employment Review (EER), formerly European Industrial Relations Review, 392 p.20) - a toughening of the conditions for receipt of benefits and an increase in workers' contributions.