Lasting from 25 April to 12 May and involving almost a million workers, it was the largest labour dispute in Sweden since the 1909 Swedish general strike.

The new government announced a series of measures to tackle an economic crisis undergoing in Sweden, including significant tax reforms.

[3] Gunnar Nilsson, chair of the LO, argued that "trade unionists alone should not be expected to carry the total burden for Sweden's ailing economy.

[3] On 27 February, the SAF made a formal proposition to the LO to extend the current, expiring collective bargaining agreement, despite the fact that it would result no pay rises for the workers.

[12] The strike caused significant discussions in Sweden over the future of the Swedish labour relations model and the Saltsjöbaden Agreement.