trade based associations, on both the employer and employee sides. Founded in 1898, Landsorganisation i Sverige (“LO”)[4] is the strongest employee organisation in Sweden. The first two national central employer organisations were founded already in 1902, the Swedish Metal Trades Employers’ Association[5] and the Swedish Employers’ Confederation, the latter the forerunner to the current Confederation of Swedish Enterprise.[6] The “December Compromise” was reached between these three umbrella organisations in 1906. The pattern of the central organisations resolving labour market conflicts and establishing rights and duties without state involvement was laid, largely unchanged to the present day with the exceptions made due to EU law requirements. Much of the strength of this model has also depended upon the political situation in Sweden, with the Social Democrats the majority power almost without interruption from the 1930’s until the past decade.