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OPINION

IMMIGRATION

‘Cutting immigration could limit casual racism’

Sweden should stop accepting foreigners who aren't prepared to adopt the country's values, argues writer Mark Fahmy. His comments come as the EU mulls introducing a quota system designed to ensure asylum applications are shared more evenly among member states.

Published: 12 May 2015 07:18 CEST
'Cutting immigration could limit casual racism'
The Swedish flag. Photo: Fredrik Broman/Image Bank Sweden
Growing up, I spent every summer travelling from Egypt to Sweden to stay with my mother's family in Skåne.
 
I always used to find Swedes really friendly. They seemed to want to help people who looked different, they offered assistance to those who didn't know the language, and always had so much energy and tolerance.
 
But now what I would call ‘discreet racism’ is significantly on the rise. As a Swedish guy myself who’s olive skinned with dark hair and eyes, I have noticed that people have started to look differently or even disdainfully at me when I am visiting. Swedes are growing tired of so many foreigners arriving. And I can understand why.
 
The last Swedish government called on the country's citizens to ‘open their hearts' to asylum seekers and other foreign workers and the current coalition talks about how immigration is the key to Sweden's bright future. Sweden currently takes in more refugees per capita than any other EU nation. But something seems to be going wrong.
 
Any country that welcomes such a large influx of foreigners in such a short time is bound to experience some kind of shock and I believe Sweden is going through this right now.
 

Mark Fahmy. Photo: Private
 
For example, many fear that the values and traditions of Swedish society are being compromised for the sake of globalization and acceptance. The government, however, fails to make immigration a subject up for open discussion. It seems to fear any potential criticism that could lead to Sweden falling short of its reputation as the most liberal and tolerant country in Europe. In fact, there is such a new phenomenon reshaping everyday life that is not being thoroughly discussed and this only serves to have negative counter-effects.
 
In a country known for its extremely high tax rates, it is only natural that people need to know how their tax money is being allocated. It is only natural that they want to have a say in its allocation. It is only natural that some people are disappointed that their health, educational and housing systems are under threat while money is being sent tackling immigration.
 
The mainstream opposition parties are starting to talk about immigration a bit more but the government needs to start being more transparent without further delay.
 
In my opinion, Sweden should not compromise parts of its identity as immigration continues. The Swedish flag is a source of pride for Swedes and it should stay that way. Sweden should limit the possibility of immigration to those people who really value the country's core values of freedom and democracy.
 
Any disturbance to the core principles of Swedish society should not be tolerated. If Swedish citizenship is given out to new people, it should be to those who regard Sweden as a safe haven for freedom of speech and expression and plan to continue to support these values. 
 
Casual racism is on the rise in Sweden because too many immigrants aren't adopting the Scandinavian country's values. 
 
If Sweden sticks to its current approach, it is just going to make discrimination in this country worse. It will be those who strongly admire and take pride in Sweden's values, but don't have a typical Swedish appearance, that are bound to suffer the most.
 
For the sake of tolerance, rethink immigration.

FOOD AND DRINK

OPINION: Are tips in Sweden becoming the norm?

Should you tip in Sweden? Habits are changing fast thanks to new technology and a hard-pressed restaurant trade, writes James Savage.

Published: 5 April 2024 13:59 CEST
OPINION: Are tips in Sweden becoming the norm?

The Local’s guide to tipping in Sweden is clear: tip for good service if you want to, but don’t feel the pressure: where servers in the US, for instance, rely on tips to live, waiters in Sweden have collectively bargained salaries with long vacations and generous benefits. 

But there are signs that this is changing, and the change is being accelerated by card machines. Now, many machines offer three preset gratuity percentages, usually starting with five percent and going up to fifteen or twenty. Previously they just asked the customer to fill in the total amount they wanted to pay.

This subtle change to a user interface sends a not-so-subtle message to customers: that tipping is expected and that most people are probably doing it. The button for not tipping is either a large-lettered ‘No Tip’ or a more subtle ‘Fortsätt’ or ‘Continue’ (it turns out you can continue without selecting a tip amount, but it’s not immediately clear to the user). 

I’ll confess, when I was first presented with this I was mildly irked: I usually tip if I’ve had table service, but waiting staff are treated as professionals and paid properly, guaranteed by deals with unions; menu prices are correspondingly high. The tip was a genuine token of appreciation.

But when I tweeted something to this effect (a tweet that went strangely viral), the responses I got made me think. Many people pointed out that the restaurant trade in Sweden is under enormous pressure, with rising costs, the after-effects of Covid and difficulties recruiting. And as Sweden has become more cosmopolitain, adding ten percent to the bill comes naturally to many.

Boulebar, a restaurant and bar chain with branches around Sweden and Denmark, had a longstanding policy of not accepting tips at all, reasoning that they were outdated and put diners in an uncomfortable position. But in 2021 CEO Henrik Kruse decided to change tack:

“It was a purely financial decision. We were under pressure due to Covid, and we had to keep wages down, so bringing back tips was the solution,” he said, adding that he has a collective agreement and staff also get a union bargained salary, before tips.

Yet for Kruse the new machines, with their pre-set tipping percentages, take things too far:

“We don’t use it, because it makes it even clearer that you’re asking for money. The guest should feel free not to tip. It’s more important for us that the guest feels free to tell people they’re satisfied.”

But for those restaurants that have adopted the new interfaces, the effect has been dramatic. Card processing company Kassacentralen, which was one of the first to launch this feature in Sweden, told Svenska Dagbladet this week that the feature had led to tips for the average establishment doubling, with some places seeing them rise six-fold.

Even unions are relaxed about tipping these days, perhaps understanding that they’re a significant extra income for their members. Union representatives have often in the past spoken out against tipping, arguing that the practice is demeaning to staff and that tips were spread unevenly, with staff in cafés or fast food joints getting nothing at all. But when I called the Swedish Hotel and Restaurant Union (HRF), a spokesman said that the union had no view on the practice, and it was a matter for staff, business owners and customers to decide.

So is tipping now expected in Sweden? The old advice probably still stands; waiters are still not as reliant on tips as staff in many other countries, so a lavish tip is not necessary. But as Swedes start to tip more generously, you might stick out if you leave nothing at all.

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