All Articles — Nordic Labour Journal

Siv Fridleifsdottir and the Icelandic chairmanship of the Nordic Council of Ministers 2004

(Mar 01, 2004) She is Icelandic, Norwegian, and a little bit Swedish. She grew up on the outskirts of the only big city in Iceland, in the county of Seltjarnarnes, surrounded by the Atlantic. Her main job is as Iceland’s Environment Minister, and this year she is also a Nordic co-operation minister.

Homo Nordicus in the eyes of a Diego

(Mar 01, 2004) If you rotate Norway like a compass with Oslo in the centre, the North Cape would hit Rome, I am told. Still there is a full ocean, or maybe several, separating the Nordic and Latin cultures.

Book in review: Karaoke Capitalism

(Mar 01, 2004) We live in the time of individualism. Grab the microphone and express your unique personality. Welcome to Club Karaoke Capitalism, where talent, originality and/or money creates freedom of choice like never before. At least for some.

Nordic cooperation - a question of survival

(Nov 01, 2003) There are those who ask whether Nordic cooperation still has a part to play in a Europe run by the EU. That does not apply to Per Unckel. The Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers is all enthusiasm. If all doubt regarding the Nordic cooperation has not been dispelled by the time he leaves, he shall consider himself a failure, so goes his postulate.

Book in review: Managing Workplace Health

(Nov 01, 2003) The EU takes the notion of the global network-society seriously and, it seems, finds a network to fit every good cause.

Nordic cooperation - two sides to the coin?

(Nov 01, 2003) “The Nordic countries are unique” “The Nordic countries are a model” “The Nordic countries may serve as an example”. The reputation of the Nordic countries is on the whole rather favourable.

The spirit of Iceland - Big cars and Big Spenders

(Oct 01, 2002) The statistics of Iceland are remarkable. It stands out among the Nordic countries. It is the country with the highest employment rate (for women too), the lowest unemployment rate, the highest working age, the longest life expectancy, the highest birth rate and the lowest sick leave rates. Why is that? Where's the magic?

Long term trends in the Nordic discourse on work organization

(Oct 01, 2002) The long term trend in work organization has clearly been in the direction of more autonomy and responsibility associated in the work role. This has been combined with a greater emphasis on the ability of each and every member of the organization to communicate directly with other members of the organisation as well as with people outside the organisation (suppliers, customers).

The labyrinth of maternity leave benefits

(Oct 01, 2002) For the past two years in a row, the UNDP has awarded Norway the best place to live in the world. With 10-12 months paid maternity leave, free prenatal care and delivery, and extra child care benefits once the baby is born, who could argue?

Book in review: Life and learning on the Net

(Oct 01, 2002) Distance learning via the Internet is an area fraught with high expectations.

The labyrinth of maternity leave benefits

(Oct 01, 2002) For the past two years in a row, the UN Development Programme has awarded Norway the best place to live in the world based on its quality of life index. With 10-12 months paid maternity leave, free prenatal care and delivery, and extra child care benefits once the baby is born, who could argue.

Models are not blueprints...

(Nov 01, 2001) The Nordic countries love their models. The Swedish model of a welfare system with state-guaranteed security from the cradle to the grave is the best known internationally, although Denmark, Finland and Norway have very similar systems.

Council of Nordic Trade Unions: Full steam ahead?

(Nov 01, 2001) Free movement of labour is a major benefit, affording the opportunity for increased economic growth and welfare. That much is undisputed. "But, it is important that we are well-prepared to meet the changes and that we are aware of the possible knock-on effects," says Sture Nordh, Vice-President of the Council of Nordic Trade Unions (NFS).

Book in review: A hundred years of occupational safety and health

(Nov 01, 2001) A recently published study from the National Institute for Working Life in Sweden offers a fascinating introduction to the development of the work environment and safety at work in Sweden during the 20th century

Internet pop

(Oct 01, 2001) In recent months, several books have been written about the IT industry by former pop musicians.

Iceland's Director of Labour: At the Service of Working Life

(Jun 01, 2001) “Yes, 4x4s are very much status symbols here,” he replies smiling and with a sense of self-mockery. We have just climbed aboard a huge Land Rover and are driving off with a panoramic view into a wet landscape.

Hungry Eyes for Scandinavian Baby Buggies

(Jun 01, 2001) As the first glimpses of spring appear in Copenhagen, rows of baby buggies stand neatly in line in front of fashionable bars. The children doze away at the comforting sounds of laughter from their parents who enjoy themselves inside.

Book in review: Hot conflicts in the Workplace

(Jun 01, 2001) After the Cold War ended, a series of conflicts and civil wars broke out. Although none of them threatened the world order, they were bloody and claimed many victims. Norwegian working life researchers Bjørg Aase Sørensen and Asbjørn Grimsmo see a similar trend developing on today’s labour market in which hierarchical structures have been replaced by teamwork and substantially streamlined organisations.

Responses by vocational guidance psychologists to unconscious expectations

(Jun 01, 2001) It is easy to believe that counselling and guidance are rational, cognitive and conscious activities and forget the unconscious aspects of these tasks. This research, however, proved that the transferences of the clients and, perhaps especially the countertransferences of the psychologists, should be taken into consideration, if our aim is to improve the quality and the results in these fields.

The Nordic Ministers of Labour

(Jan 01, 2001) The issue of the supply of skilled labour is high on the agenda in the Nordic countries, as well as that of getting everybody on track for the new knowledge-based society. We have put four questions to the Ministers responsible for labour market policy in the Nordic countries, in order to hear their views on these challenges.