The LO base 1 May-speaks later today in Boliden and Skellefteå. In connection with the speeches, she will raise the demand which is intended to help families with children, a group forgotten by LO and who are also affected both in terms of household finances and by possible future municipal cuts.
– Our members are used to not always having it so fat. You are good at playing tricks and making sure to put away a small penny, but what you have been able to put away in better times has been used up and now you have nothing, she says.
Compare with the 90s
Gideonsson compares to how she herself during the 1990s on occasion had small financial margins.
– A refund from OK saved that month. Not being able to put food on the table for the children – then life is extremely difficult.
In concrete terms, the proposal entails a demand for an increase in the child allowance by SEK 450. LO emphasizes that since the last increase (March 2018), inflation has caused the contribution to lose a large part of its real value.
“Sweden has very strong state finances”
Added to this is a demand for a time-limited reduction in the rates for after-school and preschool for one year, which would correspond to around SEK 550 per month.
– Our entire agreement movement is based on us getting out of this inflation. Wages will rise starting this year, so we don’t see it as a permanent solution. This is something that is needed for families with children right now to get everyday life together, explains Gideonsson about why they want to see a time-limited reduction.
Where will the money come from?
– We see that Sweden has very strong state finances and we can afford to increase the state subsidies to the municipalities so that they can cope with this investment.
