SOLIDARITY WITH COMRADE ERIK HELGESON AND DENUNCIATION OF UNJUSTIFIED DISMISSAL FOR EXERCISING TRADE UNION RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN SWEDEN
We hereby express our strong solidarity with comrade ErikHelgeson, a port worker at the port of Gothenburg and VicePresident of the Swedish Dockworkers’ Union, who has beenarbitrarily and unjustifiably dismissed by his employer afterlegitimately exercising his rights to freedom of expression and trade union activity.
According to known facts, comrade Helgeson participated in an interview with a Swedish media outlet where he reported on trade union actions related to the handling of military equipment linked to Israel, information that was already in the public domain and had been previously reported by Swedish investigative media. It should be noted that the accusations against him were dismissed and archived by the Swedish judicial and police authorities, confirming the absence of legalgrounds for criminalizing his statements.
This dismissal not only constitutes an act of retaliation for his role as a union leader, but violates fundamental standards recognized both in Swedish law and in international conventions ratified by Sweden:
- Freedom of expression and trade union rights in Sweden:
– Ca-determination at Work Act (Medbestämmandelagen, MBL):
– Chapter 1: Establishes that the employer must informthe union about matters relevant to its activities, includingbusiness decisions that affect workers.
– Chapter 2: Obliges the employer to provide unionrepresentatives with the information necessary to fulfilltheir duties.
– Chapter 3: Recognizes the right of unions to expressopinions on the information received and to disseminate it,provided that it does not violate protected trade secrets.
– Trade Union Representatives in the Workplace Act(Förtroendemannalagen):
– 10: Protects trade union representatives fromdiscriminatory measures for their legitimate activities, including the public communication oftrade union positions.
- Protection against arbitrary dismissals:
– Employment Statute (Lag om anställningsskydd, LAS)
– Art. 7: Requires that all dismissals be based on just cause,linked to the employee’s conduct or the needs of the company, excluding reprisals for trade union activities.
- ILO standards:
-Convention 87 (Article 3): Guarantees trade unions the rightto freely organize their activities and formulate
– Convention 98 (Article 1): Explicitly prohibits dismissals inretaliation for union membership or participation.
The interview with Mr. Helgeson falls within the framework of the exercise of these rights, by reporting on trade union actions based on previously disclosed and public information. His dismissal, therefore, lacks legal basis and constitutes aflagrant violation of MBL Chapter 7 and ILO Convention 98.
We urge Gothenburg Roro Terminal to:
- lmmediately revoke the dismissal, reinstating Helgeson in his positionwith full rights.
- Cease all forms of anti-union harassment, respecting the Swedish and international legal framework.
- Ensure transparency in the handling of information of interest to trade unions, in accordance with MBL Chapter 7.
We alert the Swedish authorities that this case compromisesSweden’s reputation as a country that guarantees labourrights and we ask them to investigate this attack on tradeunion freedom and apply exemplary sanctions if the illegality persists.
Sincerely,
Geraldo Honores.
GeneralSecretary FENTTRAPERU
