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The collective agreement model is based on strong trade unions and employers' organisations. A high membership rate is a key feature. About 90 per cent of the workers in Sweden are protected by collective agreements.About 70 per cent of all workers in Sweden are affiliated to a trade union. This high level of unionisation, together with the absence of legal provisions restricting the organisations' activities means that there is a considerable degree of autonomy for the social partners to conclude collective agreements.
A major force against allowing immigrants to get integrated into Swedish society is the powerful labor unions. Not only do they control the level of what is not formally — but is effectively — a minimum wage in most occupations, but they also have veto power in approving permanent residency status. Recent examples of the absurdity of this system include the long-time owner of a small business who (on paper) made the equivalent of 50 cents per day below the average salary of union members in this industry. This was deemed to be “too little,” and therefore doesn't meet the formal requirements to make a living. Consequently, and on the labor union’s recommendation, he was deported along with his family after many years living in Sweden.
Perhaps it seemed like a good idea at the time, or at least humanitarian. Sweden let 163,000 "refugees" into their once-idyllic country last year, and government officials assured wary citizens that they would aid the economy. But a new report from the state-funded broadcaster says that just 494 — or 0.30306748466258% — have found jobs. Now that's a low number: You'd have to triple it just to get to 1%.