Editorial
Nordic municipalities hunting for solutions
Mar 27, 2025
What happens when the local school is in danger of closing down? When the municipality lacks people to fill vacancies in the health and social care sector? These are the challenges facing Nordic municipalities. How do we solve them?
Editorial
Gender equality in the Nordic region – where are we?
Feb 26, 2025
We have been writing about gender equality for decades. Boring? Absolutely not, because it is as relevant as ever. This year, the Nordic Labour Journal’s gender equality barometer shows the road to a gender-equal Nordic region is long. But this is about more than statistics and barometers – it is about individuals’ opportunities and choices.
Editorial
Do we listen enough to young voices?
Jan 30, 2025
What is it like to be young in the Nordic region today? We tell the story of young people on their way into working life and the story of some who need help to find their place in the community. Measures aimed at children and young people are high on the political agenda.
Editorial
Green goals in a grey world
Nov 25, 2024
Few organisations have goals as ambitious as the Nordic Council of Ministers. In a time when a certain resignation is spreading about whether the green transition will be possible, the Council of Ministers is still holding the flag high.
Editorial
Globalisation is slowing down
Oct 24, 2024
Globalisation is a powerful process impacting trade, migration patterns, and cultural influences. It cannot be stopped overnight, but now there are signs of globalisation slowing down.
Editorial
All prim and proper in sports and construction
Sep 19, 2024
In this edition, we have two themes: The fight against work-related crime and Sport as occupation. We thought they were very different. But there are things in common also here.
Editorial
Will we get the artificial intelligence we deserve?
Aug 26, 2024
The Nordic countries have a special responsibility to influence the development of AI systems to ensure they are safe, transparent, traceable, non-discriminatory, and environmentally friendly.
Editorial
The Nordic labour market turns 70 – but is it being fully explored?
Jun 20, 2024
Being able to work in a neighbouring Nordic country without applying for a work or residency permit is a given for Nordic citizens. But why do we no longer do it?
Editorial
Do we have the right tools to fight for a better work environment?
May 27, 2024
Events that are near in time always get the most attention. But is that always smart? A study of work-related deaths from Finland’s top work environment experts shows that accidents in the workplace only counted for one per cent of deaths. Yet 57 per cent of state controls are performed to prevent accidents.
Editorial
Where does the border between the EU and the Nordic region run?
Apr 29, 2024
Right now is a fascinating time in Nordic and European politics. Rarely have so many things that affect the Nordics and their relationship with Europe been happening simultaneously. Some forces link the Nordic countries closer to each other and the EU, while at the same time, the boundaries for cooperation have become clearer.
Editorial
Who wants to hire young women and men with two children?
Mar 25, 2024
March is when gender equality usually takes centre stage. This year, the NLJ’s gender equality barometer shows a setback for women's share of 24 power positions in the Nordic countries. But we also look at childbirth, artificial intelligence, the EU's platform directive, and Iceland's refugee policy.
Editorial
Socially excluded young people, a key issue across the Nordics
Feb 29, 2024
Across the Nordic region, there is a focused search for measures to include young people who are not in education or employment into the labour market. Researchers agree that the best solution is for young individuals to be followed up by people they can have close and long-term relationships with. But the number of people who find themselves socially excluded remains approximately on the same level.
Editorial
Border barriers – a Sisyphean task?
Feb 03, 2024
In both the Nordic region and the EU, there is a rising number of complaints about the open labour market not being as open as we thought. Is this a warning sign, or is it a consequence of people moving more and businesses expanding their operations?
Editorial
Tripartite negotiations as a model for the green transition
Dec 06, 2023
The fight for a just green transition is taking place in several and very different arenas. While strike guards brave the cold of winter outside Tesla workshops in Sweden and climate negotiators meet in the heat of Dubai, Nordic employers, trade unions and government ministers gathered in Reykjavik.
Editorial
How do we make the right predictions for the future of work?
Nov 06, 2023
The Nordic labour markets are doing well. Several of the countries are seeing record employment rates. Meanwhile, there are major changes to how and where jobs are being performed. Global trends like digitalisation and climate change mean new professions and skills are needed. How do we future-proof our education programmes?
Editorial
Nordic preparedness put to the test
Sep 26, 2023
Rarely has the scout motto been more apt than right now. When the leader says “Be prepared!” the scouts answer “Always prepared!”
Editorial
The need to facilitate mobility in the Nordics
Aug 22, 2023
“My ambition is to make commuting within the Nordic region as unhindered by red tape as possible, both for the worker and the employer. And cross-border commuters should be able to work from home without it having consequences for the amount of tax they pay.”
Editorial
The Nordics look to the Baltics
Jun 26, 2023
The war in Ukraine has brought the Nordics and the Baltics closer together. This will become very clear during the Nato summit in Vilnius on 11 and 12 July, when Finland and perhaps even Sweden will participate as members of the defence alliance for the first time. We take a closer look at the cooperation with the Baltic countries which has grown to become more equal.
Editorial
When do we get a Council of Ministers for Transport?
Apr 27, 2023
If the prime ministers really want the Nordics to become the world’s most integrated region, there should be a designated Nordic Council of Ministers for transport and infrastructure.
Editorial
On the fringes of the EU
Mar 23, 2023
The Nordics’ relationship with the EU stretches from Denmark joining 50 years ago to Iceland's current renewed debate about reopening accession talks that were never finalised.
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