Global — Nordic Labour Journal

Estonia welcomes Sweden and Finland into Nato

(Apr 29, 2024) One year after Finland joined Nato, Sweden has also become part of the Nato family. This brings them together with Norway, Iceland and Denmark, members since the start in 1949.

AI – a threat to Nordic democracy?

(Mar 25, 2024) How will artificial intelligence influence democracy? That was the big question during the marking of Nordic Day in Oslo. Do not think the EU’s AI Act will solve all our problems, the warning went.

EU directive gives Nordic platform workers new hope

(Mar 25, 2024) The EU platform work directive is in place at last. It should help platform workers in the Nordic EU countries who work for companies like Foodora and Wolt to secure decent working conditions. In Norway, this was solved at the start of this year through a change to the working environment act.

Sweden’s emergency shelters “back in fashion”

(Sep 26, 2023) After a long period of obscurity, Sweden’s emergency shelters are back in the spotlight as the government proposes to spend over 18 million euro in next year’s budget on an upgrade, while also training the rescue services in an effort to strengthen the civil defence.

Scarpetta: The OECD has learned a lot from studying the Nordics

(Apr 27, 2023) Stefano Scarpetta is excited when he goes up to the podium at the start of the OECD and Nordic Council of Ministers conference in Reykjavik. "I don't know how you did it, but thank you for the fantastic northern lights that we got to experience last night!"

The greatest threats to energy supply in the Nordic region

(Mar 23, 2023) Nordic Energy Research has presented a list of risks to the energy market. Topping it, somewhat surprisingly, is the long approval process facing new energy projects along with the fact that there is little public support for state-funded infrastructure investments.

Swedes abroad: Can they really sway an election?

(Sep 22, 2022) Every four years a special group of people get attention for a moment of time – the Swedes living aboard. Everyone wants to know how they will vote in the parliamentary elections. It is often claimed that overseas votes “can determine the election” because they are counted so late. But this year there was also a new phenomenon – the immigrant party Nyans.

Will the ILO elect its first female Director-General?

(Mar 25, 2022) On 25 March, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, will elect a new Director-General. There are five candidates, two of whom are women – Kang Kyung-wha from South Korea and Muriel Pénicaud from France. Both are former government ministers.

No Swedish OECD head – controversial Australian wins

(Mar 23, 2021) Australian Mathias Cormann is the OECD’s new Secretary-General after beating Swedish candidate Cecilia Malmström. It has been 14 years since a new leader was elected for the organisation, which is made up of 37 industrialised countries.

Global initiative to strengthen social dialogue

(Mar 23, 2021) The Corona pandemic has shown the importance of making quick decisions – but these also need public support. That is why social dialogue is so important. Global Deal, launched by Sweden together with the OECD and the ILO, is one of the few initiatives looking at social dialogue from an international perspective.

Do we know more about the USA than Europe?

(Jan 22, 2021) Many have become experts on US politics in the past 12 months. A few days ago, Donald Trump left the White House for the last time and Joe Biden was inaugurated as the 46th President of the USA. The transfer of power also has consequences for the Nordics and Europe.

Sweden’s century-long relationship with the ILO

(Dec 10, 2020) Sweden has had a relationship with the ILO for 100 years. Yet the country never ratified the labour organisation’s first convention. There have been tensions behind the scenes from time to time – like when the conventions have clashed with the Swedish model for collective agreements.

The Nordics must pull together to emerge from the epidemic

(May 15, 2020) The Nordic countries will take historically huge steps to limit the economic and social consequences of the Corona epidemic. The governments sometimes chose different measures to fight contamination, with different economic consequences. To get out of the crisis, greater cooperation is needed.

Inspired by TED Talks: Nordic podcast launch in the USA

(Jan 13, 2020) Nordic Talks is the Nordic Council of Ministers’s own podcast series aimed at highlighting Nordic values to a global audience. The idea is also to create a lasting dialogue with the rest of the world.

The transnationals – when one country is not enough

(Nov 27, 2019) “More and more people chose to be transnational. They don’t want to live in just one of two countries, but in both. This might not be a huge number of people, but they do represent a challenge for national welfare systems,” says Jørgen Carling. He has spent several years leading a research project looking at the phenomenon at Prio.

ILO's DG Guy Ryder finds inspiration from problem-solving Iceland

(Apr 12, 2019) Why does the Director-General of ILO choose Iceland as one of his last stops before the organisation’s centenary celebrations kick off? Why Reykjavík and not Paris or Rome?

Future of work in Iceland

(Apr 12, 2019) In the lead up to the International Labour Organisation's centenary, the last our of four Nordic conferences on the future of work have been held in Reykjavik. ILO Director-General Guy Ryder got updated information on how Iceland's paternal leave legislation and equal pay standard work. The Nordics' most important role is to lead by example, he pointed out.

Iceland invites the ILO to the land of volcanoes and glaciers

(Mar 22, 2019) On the 4th and 5th of April, Iceland hosted the final out of four Nordic conferences ahead of the ILO’s centenary celebrations. The Future of Work conferences represent a very important forum not only for Iceland, but for the entire Nordic region, says Iceland’s Minister for Social Affairs and Children Ásmundur Einar Daðason.

OECD: The crisis is over, but collective bargaining is needed for wage growth

(Jun 22, 2018) For the first time, more people are now in work in OECD countries than before the 2008 economic crisis. But the increased employment rate has not led to higher wages. The OECD says collective bargaining represents one of the most important tools for increasing living standards.

Blueye Robotics: The people's underwater drone bringing knowledge about our oceans

(Feb 08, 2018) “Something happened to me when I went from collecting shells on the beach to finding more and more plastic and rubbish,” says Christine Spiten. She is one of four entrepreneurs who set up Blueye Robotics in 2015.