“In India, there are no unions for IT consultants”

When IT engineer Thivakar Allimuthu moved to Sweden from India, he was surprised to find so many of his colleagues were union members. Just a few months later, he became a union representative at his workplace.

Thivakar Allimuthu was working at Capgemini in southern India when he was offered the chance to move to Sweden in the autumn of 2021, to work with the team in Helsingborg. During his workplace orientation, he learned that there was a local trade union association for engineers and other graduate professionals.salary development to the union.

“I was surprised, but also curious. In India, there are unions for white-collar workers, but not for IT consultants.”

Thivakar, or Thiva as he is called, asked his colleagues about the benefits of being a member of the union. “Their answers were a bit vague. It didn’t really seem like they knew. ‘It’s good to be a member.’ ‘You feel more secure when you are in the union.’”

He searched for information about union membership in English and translated a lot of what was only availablein Swedish. “The answers were all there. Income insurance and access to salary statistics were just two of many great benefits, so I immediately decided to become a member of Engineers of Sweden.”

Capgemini has local trade union associations at several offices in Sweden, and the board likes to have representatives from each office. The position representing the Helsingborg office was about to be vacant, and since Thiva seemed engaged and curious, he was asked if he was interested in the role.

The engineers at Capgemini in Helsingborg come from many different countries, and it could also be an advantage to have a representative who is new to Sweden.

At the annual meeting a few months later, Thiva was elected to the board of the graduate professional association.

“I have taken the basic union course in English, and I am constantly learning new things through my union colleagues.”

What has surprised you the most?

“That the union can influence so many different things in the workplace. It plays a key role in salary negotiations and work environment issues. In India, unions primarily act when there is a dispute. Annual holiday leave rules are also different. In India, it’s difficult to take a longer holiday, while in Sweden, you are oblige.