Changes in the Work Process and Labour Conflicts in Swedish Pharmacies

Abstract

Changes in the work process brought about by rationalization, the intro duction of new technology, etc. can lead to conflicts between different groups of employees and not just between employees and company man agement. Two major factors in the development of such a conflict seem to be (1) that the groups occupy qualitatively different positions in the work process, and (2) that they belong to different unions. In this article dealing with the Swedish pharmacy system, I shall give an account of a conflict which occurred between pharmacy technicians and prescnptionists and between their respective unions. It began in the late 60's, deepened in the 70's and reached its peak in 1977 when the pharmacy technicians went on strike. I shall show how union organizational conditions and the division of labour in pharmacies have hindered these two professional groups achieving a common solution to their problems.