If Seko’s members carry out the strike as the union today notified if, Swedish travelers will feel the consequences immediately. The first step comes into effect on May 11, if no agreement is reached. In this phase, over 200 of Seko’s members around the country would go on strike, of which around 100 are Malmö-based train drivers on Öresundstågen.
– A strike is a very special condition, so it is clear that it will be very complicated, says Stefan Johansson, press officer at Transdev, which runs the Öresund trains.
“Very big consequences”
According to Stefan Johansson, travelers may be affected in several ways in the event of a strike.
– Canceled departures, delays and greater congestion on the trains that actually run. That kind of thing. It will affect the vast majority of traffic and in a worst-case scenario it could have very big consequences, he says.
The strike may be extended
If no agreement is reached after the first stage of the strike, it may be extended. In stage two, approximately 450 employees at MTR and SJ would go on strike. This involves over 200 employees in the Stockholm subway, around 100 train drivers on Mälartåg (run by MTR) in Stockholm and Eskilstuna and 118 train drivers at SJ in Gothenburg.
In a third and final step, another 500 employees would strike, including in freight traffic and on SJ’s trains in Stockholm and Hagalund in Solna.
SJ’s press service could not comment during Tuesday evening on how many of their passengers are expected to be affected.
