In Focus
OECD: Politicians put too much trust in the GDP
Do we have the necessary statistics to govern our societies in the best possible way? Or is a blind trust in statistics to blame, at least indirectly, for the collapse in trust in authorities after the financial crisis? Before dismissing this as a conspiracy – the theory was presented by none other than the OECD.
Marjo Bruun: The new economy is a statistical challenge
Marjo Bruun, Director General for Statistics Finland, considers journalists to be the most important partners in the fight for honest words and digits.
Nordic statistics: frontline defenders of truth
Narrowing social gaps is what defines democracy. If the figures only reflect growth but not how it is distributed, we end up with the wrong political decisions. The five Nordic statistics central agencies work every day to show and explain how the Nordics tick. But there are many challenges when it comes to maintaining trust and creating the statistics we need.
Nothing is sacred in the debate about the Swedish model
The current Swedish collective agreement does not run out until 2020. That should normally mean a period of calm for the Swedish labour market. But the debate is raging: Big changes to the labour market could be just around the corner, depending on who ends up forming a government.
Politics could pose a threat to Denmark's unique labour market model
The government and parliament could undermine the flexicurity model by shaving too much off unemployed Danes’ benefits, warns Danish professor.
Finnish government on collision course with unions
The conflict between the Finnish government and trade unions over weakening employment protection legislation has led to several political strikes in Finland. The conflict seems to have been solved thanks to classic tripartite negotiations, yet the future of the tripartite model is increasingly unclear.
The European Labour Authority ELA challenges the Norwegian model
“If it turns out that Norwegian collective agreements can be overruled by the European Labour Authority, Norway might have to use its veto power in the EEA,” says Marianne Marthinsen, a member of parliament from the Norwegian Labour Party.
New conflict solving methods needed for reindeer husbandry
A new mediation body is needed to deal with conflicts within reindeer herding. Existing courts and mediation bodies do not fit in with Sami culture. This proposal comes from two Norwegian researchers and a judge who have spent three years studying conflict solution within the Sami reindeer husbandry.
Theme: Focus on conflict resolution
Politicians, trade union leaders and employers share one thing: Conflict solving forms a large part of their jobs. A society needs to balance work and capital, rules and freedoms, in order to achieve welfare.
A new attitude to who might participate in the labour market?
“Nothing is harder than giving up what does not work.” That was the message from Norway’s welfare administration director Sigrun Vågeng as she opened the largest Nordic conference on Supported Employment so far in Oslo. Is this a sign of a paradigm shift?
The Nordics implement Supported Employment in very different ways
The Nordic countries use Supported Employment for getting vulnerable groups into the labour market in very different ways. A growing number of studies show the method gives better results than traditional measures.
18 recommendations to improve Danish work environments
Workplaces should be more centre stage in the work to improve work environments. That is the recommendation from an expert committee appointed by the Danish government, tasked with turning around negative workplace developments.
Denmark can learn from Sweden’s work environment measures
Sweden has a stronger culture for cooperation than Denmark when it comes to work environments, according to a survey carried out on behalf of an expert committee looking at measures for improving work environments.
Finland: More awareness around workplace threats to social workers
Female Finnish social and care workers run a higher risk of being the victims of violence and threats of violence. Social workers very often suffer verbal threats that sometimes turn into pure stalking. The authorities are now aware of the problem, but the road to safer workplaces is long.
Kone: Lifting the office environment to a new level
Few Nordic companies play such a big part in the work environment as Kone. But they do it discretely. As long as everything works, hardly anyone thinks about the lifts and escalators we use to and from our jobs and inside the building where we work.
Work-related crime must be fought with improved cooperation
When crime occurs in organised ways, inspection authorities and the social partners also need to improve their cross-border cooperation. This was one of the messages when participants from the Nordics and Baltics met at an experts’ seminar in Stockholm recently.
Finland: Unions and the construction industry join forces to fight shadow economy
Trade unions and employers have entered into an unusual collaboration to fight unfair competition and the shadow economy within the Finnish construction industry. A cross-border cooperation has also been important for work environment agencies in Finland and Estonia.
Labour migration to Denmark leads to fear of increased social dumping
Denmark is a popular destination for jobseekers from other EU countries. Trade unions fear this could lead to increased social dumping and want more controls. Yet most foreigners are in jobs that are covered by Danish collective agreements, says one expert.
The Oslo model brings transparency to the construction sector
The view is dizzying as one of the construction workers climb the steps at the top of the new Munch Museum which is being built in Oslo. The museum will be more than a shop window for Norwegian culture; the construction project is also meant to be a showcase for fair competition and working conditions in the construction industry.
“Paternal leave extremely important to reach gender equality"
“Today’s paternal leave legislation gives employers a lot of room to negotiate with men whether they should take leave or not. We need less flexible solutions,” says Anne Lise Ellingsæter, who has led a Nordic inquiry into parental leave. It proposed to reserve 20 weeks’ leave for the father.
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