Labour Law — Nordic Labour Journal

How can the EU’s social pillar be turned into reality?

(Nov 23, 2017) The EU summit in Gothenburg was a success for the Swedish hosts, but what will the social pillar mean for Europe’s citizens?

The people and trade unions take EU to task over the social pillar

(Nov 23, 2017) With a mix of slogans from the trade union movement, cinnamon rolls and sweets, the Swedish government, led by Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, tries to present the EU from a different perspective. During the social summit in Gothenburg the social partners were literally sitting around the same table as prime ministers and EU Commissioners.

The Nordic region in Europe

(Nov 22, 2017) The EU’s social pillar has been signed at the Social Summit in Gothenburg. Is there reason to fear it will challenge the Nordic model? What does the international trade union movement think? What do employers suggest, and what do the people and Europe’s leaders make of it?

Danish sharing economy strategy just a first step

(Oct 20, 2017) The government’s long-awaited sharing economy strategy is a first, small step towards regulating the sharing economy in Denmark, but the social partners agree more needs to be done.

Agreement on what constitutes minimum rates of pay for construction workers in Sweden

(Sep 13, 2017) After nearly ten years of quarrelling, the Swedish trade union for construction workers (Byggnads) and their counterparts at the Swedish Construction Federation (BI) have agreed what the “minimum rates of pay” for constructions workers posted to Sweden should comprise. The parties think the same conditions should apply for public procurement of construction projects.

Swedish port conflict could lead to change in legislation

(Jun 21, 2017) A long-running conflict in the port of Gothenburg has made the Swedish government consider changes in regulations covering industrial action. The reason the conflict has lasted for so long is a seemingly unsolvable fight for positions between two trade unions which both represent dockworkers.

A platform economy, on what terms?

(May 26, 2017) Is the digital platform economy a threat to the Nordic model? Which strategies are needed in order to influence the development? Is a separate Nordic platform economy possible? The Nordic Labour Journal shines a light on the future of work.

The platform economy: How to regulate working life when algorithms are the boss?

(May 26, 2017) Regulation is a key word when the Nordic countries discuss the platform economy. The challenge is to secure good working conditions for the individual, a level playing field for businesses and tax revenues for the state.

Three sharing economy companies show one size doesn't fit all

(May 26, 2017) Uber and Airbnb have taken most of the limelight, but new platform companies are being developed all the time. Finn.no, Cool Company and Ework Group are three examples of Nordic companies using digital platforms to link customers with various types of services.

A Nordic model for fair platform economies

(May 23, 2017) He has a vision for Nordic cooperation between the social partners in order to make labour market agreements part of the digital platforms which organise and allocate work. “We want to create a distinctly Nordic variation of the platform economy and make it easier for employers to be good employers,” says Fredrik Söderqvist from the Unionen trade union.

The sharing economy and its effect on the labour market

(May 22, 2017) How large is the sharing economy in the Nordic region really? And how should it be defined? One thing about the sharing economy most agree on is that it can be defined in different ways depending on whether you belive working conditions, flexibility. or technology is the most important thing.

From poverty to dream holiday in Bali thanks to Airbnb

(May 22, 2017) The sharing economy is thriving in Iceland. It has not had major consequences for the country’s labour market, and the development has happened on its own terms – driven by tourism. Icelanders share their houses and cars with tourists. Iceland’s tax authorities are now going to work together with Airbnb.

Lex Laval revised in Sweden – to what effect?

(Mar 01, 2017) Swedish trade unions will again be able to take industrial action in order to get foreign companies to sign collective agreements for their posted workers. That is what the Swedish government proposes, arguing the limitations introduced through the so-called lex Laval go too far. In practice the difference might not be quite as dramatic as it might seem.

Nordic countries positive to EU social pillar – but want to set wages themselves

(Dec 13, 2016) We urge that the proposed European Pillar of Social Rights takes into account the special features of our labour markets and respects the role played by the social partners in the Nordic Region. That is what the Nordic countries’ labour ministers write in a joint declaration to the European Commission.

Towards a more authoritarian labour market – without freedom of expression?

(Nov 16, 2016) “This is not only about their working life. It is about their lives,” says Dag Yngve Dahle, who has written a book on the freedom of expression in working life together with Maria Amelie, called ‘Moderne munnkurv’, or Modern muzzle. They look at what happens to people who have been accused of a breach of loyalty to their employer.

New Swedish legislation protects whistleblowers

(Nov 16, 2016) A new law will be introduced in Sweden this January to improve the protection of whistleblowers, strengthening the employees’ situation. However, they will still be left with much responsibility when it comes to deciding which wrongdoings are serious enough to afford them protection.

Collective decision making important, but...

(Nov 16, 2016) “All this research on collective decision making is important, but it has its limitations. I think far too much has been exaggerated. There is an extremely good relationship between the workers’ representatives and the company leadership,” exclaims Knut E. Sunde, director of industrial policy at the Federation of Norwegian Industries.

The posting of workers directive: EU Commission sticks to its guns

(Nov 16, 2016) Should posted workers have the right to the same wages as workers in the country to which they are posted? Yes, says the European Commission, sticking to its proposal for changes to the posting of workers directive, despite fierce resistance from Eastern European member states.

Joint decision making and freedom of expression in the Nordics

(Nov 02, 2016) As Sweden celebrated 250 years of freedom of the press, freedom of speech in the workplace is becoming increasingly repressed. In Norway the number of people who feel they have a major say in their own work situation has fallen by 12 percentage points, according to a new barometer carried out by six trade unions. In Sweden whistleblowers will be given more protection.

EU pressure to liberalise the road transport industry

(Sep 16, 2016) Both Denmark and Finland will have to face the EU Court of Justice if they fail to change rules which they have implemented to prevent social dumping through the abuse of the EU’s so-called cabotage rules, says the European Commission. It is stepping up its work to liberalise the market for road freight transport.