Six out of ten LO members vote for parties other than the Social Democrats. Nevertheless, every year LO gives just over four kroner per member to S. LO chairman Johan Lindholm is now opening up that the support for the Social Democrats may have to change.
– I, and many with me, may think that it is perhaps downright unfashionable. And of course we have to look at that, he says in SVT’s 30 Minuter.
Lindholm himself testifies that many members are frustrated that part of the union fee automatically goes to a party they themselves do not vote for.
– It is clear that people are pissed off, he says.
In addition to the 6 million, LO usually invests large sums in supporting the Social Democrats before parliamentary elections. Before the 2022 election, LO added, according to its own information DNa record 50 million, among other things, on various campaigns for an S victory. Johan Lindholm does not think this support is as problematic because the money is not deducted directly from the members’ union fee.
To SVT Nyheter, Tobias Baudin, party secretary of the Social Democrats, says that it is of course up to LO to discuss the issue, but that the party instead wants to strengthen the bond with LO and the trade unions.
– It is clear that LO with its 13 member unions must discuss the issue, but in a situation where the labor movement is under attack then we must strengthen the ties with LO and trade unions to make a difference for workers in our country, says Baudin.
See the entire interview with Johan Lindholm on SVT Play here.