Radical Union Organizing in the Nordic Countries

Due to high union density, a strong welfare state, and economic prosperity, the Nordic countries have long been seen as a viable alternative to predatory capitalism—a market economy with a human touch. The “Nordic Model” of employers’ organizations and trade unions managing the labor market in unison via collective bargaining agreements that minimize industrial action has been hailed as a key component of the Nordic countries’ relative progressiveness. But what is the reality like for union organizers on the ground who see the Nordic Model as a defensive wall for capitalist rule rather than a pillar of the best of possible worlds? How does class struggle unfold in the north of Europe, with neoliberalism increasingly dismantling the foundations of the welfare state? What are the possibilities for interfering in this struggle and radicalizing sections of the working class? These are the questions raised by the authors of this pamphlet who look at the circumstances under which radical union organizers operate in northern Europe, where, despite structural similarities, they face different conditions from country to country. The pamphlet is the result of a meeting of radical union organizers from the Nordic countries in Stockholm in April 2025. It includes contributions from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden.