Allegations of Toxic Work Environment Shake Swedish Social Democratic Women's Union

Reports of harassment, conflicts, and excessive control have emerged as daily occurrences within the Social Democratic Women's Union, S-kvinnor. Nina Unesi, the head of the organization, is identified as responsible for the unsafe work environment. Chairwoman Annika Strandhäll has reportedly been aware of the criticism for years, according to Expressen.

"It's not a sisterhood at all," says one woman.

In late August, former minister Annika Strandhäll was re-elected as chairwoman of S-kvinnor, the Social Democratic Women's Union. Alongside her, Nina Unesi was re-elected as the union secretary and office manager.

However, behind the scenes at the Stockholm office, widespread dissatisfaction with the leadership is brewing, Expressen reveals. Four former and current employees claim that Nina Unesi runs the union with an iron fist.

The work environment is reportedly marked by verbal abuse and reprimands, with employees openly crying at the workplace.

"She has yelled at me, calling me stupid, hysterical, and distorting things. It has given me heart palpitations and nightmares. I have felt so, so bad," says one woman.

Employees Testify

S-kvinnor is one of Sweden's largest women's organizations and has fought for women's rights for over 100 years, advocating for free abortion, childcare, and fair wages.

The fight has also included the right to reasonable working conditions, which is why the work environment at their own office has surprised those Expressen spoke with.

According to two women, Nina Unesi suggested that employees inform her before they get their period so she can approve remote work.

A current employee describes it as an "extreme need for control":

"She wants to know who we email and meet with, where we are. She doesn't trust us, and despite goal-oriented work hours and the possibility of working from home two days a week, we must justify if we want to use that option. She wants us to tell her when we have our period to ensure we're not lying and blaming period pain to stay home."

Reports: Strandhäll Knew About the Discontent

S-kvinnor’s office is small, with a maximum of five employees. According to the women Expressen spoke with, staff turnover has been very high since Nina Unesi was appointed office manager and union secretary in 2021.

One woman says the manager was the reason she resigned.

"Conflicts escalate openly. People get scolded so much that they cry. I was terrified of her and have never felt so bad at a workplace in my life."

The prominent ex-minister Annika Strandhäll was elected chairwoman of the women's union at the same time Nina Unesi started.

Despite reports of the work environment being presented to the union board for several years, especially before the 2023 congress, the union only acted last fall.

According to Strandhäll, it was only then that she realized the extent of the problem.

"What we did, as soon as we realized it was a more complicated and serious picture, was to map the entire personnel situation, both past and present," says Annika Strandhäll.

"Not a Sisterhood"

Annika Strandhäll believes the board took the information seriously.

"An HR strategist was brought in, and there have been tripartite talks. There have also been demands on Nina Unesi in her role and for her to undergo management training and ensure she has managerial support. We have tried to use the tools we have in our toolbox," she says.

But a former employee, who still has some insight into the operations, claims that the measures have not been implemented.

"In October last year, they came and said something like, 'Sorry, we didn't understand it was this bad.' They said they would do something about it, but they haven't," she says.

A woman is upset about the perceived double standards:

"It's not a sisterhood at all when they know how our work environment has been and is. If we had known it was like this at, for example, Klarna, there would have been an outcry in the unions, in the entire labor movement."

A woman is outraged that Unesi was re-elected last weekend, despite many being aware of the problems:

"It's a democratic failure that we as a party don't have better structures to address work environment issues."

Referring to the Nomination Committee

Annika Strandhäll refers the question of Nina Unesi's re-election to the nomination committee.

"The information we had, we provided to the chairman of the nomination committee in October-November last year. How they then evaluated that information, they must answer for themselves. But they had the information," says Strandhäll.

The chairman of the nomination committee, Chatarina Holmberg, says they received the information much later.

"And it's not our job to handle it. It's actually the role of the union board," she says.

Nina Unesi was the only proposal for union secretary, with nominations from about half of the districts, according to Chatarina Holmberg. Regarding the discontent, she says:

"Who is right and wrong, we cannot judge. Nor what is true and not. We don't have that insight," says Holmberg.

Nina Unesi: "Proud"

Expressen has sought Nina Unesi regarding the specific allegations against her. She has chosen not to address them. Instead, she writes in a text message:

"I may not show it enough or often, but I am incredibly proud of my colleagues and what we do at the office. I want that to be clearer to them in the future."

She further writes that the congress was fantastic but required "quite a lot from us over a long period."

"Now we continue the work environment efforts that began in the spring, to become a workplace where people thrive," she concludes.

A plan to ensure a good work environment will be developed during the fall, says Annika Strandhäll. Until the plan is in place, employees, if they wish, can work from home.