DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES A comparative inquiry on Swedish and Italian trade unions’ attitudes on Universal Basic Income

Abstract

This thesis investigates the contrasting attitudes of Swedish and Italian trade unions toward Universal Basic Income (UBI), within the broader context of European welfare states. Relying on qualitative interviews and comparative analysis, the study explores how differing unionization levels, welfare models, and union traditions in Sweden and Italy shape the union perspectives on UBI. Swedish unions, operating within a highly organized and generous welfare system with high union density, express concerns that UBI could undermine established social protections and collective bargaining. Italian unions are, instead, characterized by a lower union density and a more fragmented and conservative welfare state, focused on the feasibility of UBI and its potential to address existing gaps in social security. The research situates these attitudes within the labour legacies of each country, highlighting how welfare generosity, labour market structures, and union strategies influence union skepticism or cautious interest in UBI. By comparing these two cases, this thesis provides new insights into the complex relationship between trade unions and universal basic income in Europe, emphasizing the importance of the national context for policy innovation and the prospects for UBI implementation.