News
Outgoing Secretary General: keep the Nordic focus
Mar 15, 2019 The Nordic region and Nordic cooperation is held in high regard at home and abroad, so keep up the high levels of ambitions. That was the parting message for Nordic parliaments and governments from the Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers Dagfinn Høybråten, as he stepped down after six years today.
Editorial
Gender or general equality – what is more important?
Mar 06, 2019 On the 8th of March, the entire world focuses women’s rights. The NLJ’s gender equality barometer mirrors a small part of the gender balance in the Nordic region; whether there is a man or a woman in 24 positions of power. This year saw a modest increase in the number of women, but the trend is nevertheless clear. Gender equality is on the rise, even though things are moving slowly.
tema
Nordic power positions: a modest increase in gender equality
Mar 06, 2019 The past year has seen two new governments emerge in the Nordics, and several changes among the top brass in labour market. But there were only modest changes to the gender balance. Women get one point more and end up with 66 points in the NLJ’s gender equality barometer, where 100 points means equal power distribution between the genders in the Nordic countries. But Iceland overtakes Norway.
tema
Swedish women in blue-collar jobs lose out
Mar 06, 2019 The gender wage gap continues to narrow in Sweden. But take a closer look at the numbers, and you see that not everyone is part of the positive development. Ahead of the 8th of March, LO again warns that women in blue-collar jobs are lagging behind.
In focus
Theme: The two sides of equality
Mar 06, 2019 How hard can it be? Iceland's Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir has taken on the gender equality portfolio herself in the Icelandic government. The country achieves close to a full score in the NLJ's gender equality barometer. But gender equality is not the same as general equality, warns Sweden's LO, pointing to a widening gap between women in blue and white-collar jobs. In Denmark, it is the EU which is pushing for paternal leave, while in Finland there is a heated debate about the basic income.
Editorial
The changing nature of cooperation
Feb 15, 2019 Nordic labour markets have seen major and at times dramatic changes at the start of 2019. In Sweden 4,500 employment service workers have been made redundant, in Finland sick leave levels are rising and Denmark now has two rather than three trade union confederations.
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Feb 2019
Sick leave levels tend to rise during good times
Feb 15, 2019 Sick leave linked to psychological ill health has increased in Finland in recent years. According to research from the country’s Social Insurance Institution, there is a link between the increase and many years of economic growth. This has happened before.
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Feb 2019
Vabba or vobba, that is the question
Feb 15, 2019 In Sweden, February is often known as Vabruary, because that is the month most parents chose to vabba, a Swedish term for taking time off to look after sick children. Now it is becoming more common to stay at home with sick children while also working, This is known as vobba, and is proving somewhat controversial.
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Feb 2019
New Norwegian IA agreement: More of the same, but fewer conflicting goals
Feb 15, 2019 After 17 years, the Inclusive Workplace Agreement (IA) was renegotiated and changed in late 2018. No-one still knows for sure how to reduce sick leave levels, but the remedies in the IA agreement will now be available to all companies.
Portrait
Gissur Pétursson, Permanent Secretary with thermometer and yardstick
Feb 15, 2019 Gissur Pétursson worked in the Icelandic Directorate of Labour for more than 20 years, but has moved on to become the top civil servant in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Children. The ministry has just changed to focus on four areas; children, housing, social insurance and the labour market.
News
Severe cuts to the Swedish Public Employment Service
Feb 15, 2019 What does the labour market look like for unemployed employment service workers? The question is suddenly relevant for a lot of staff at the Swedish Public Employment Service. 4,500 of them were given their notice on the 30th of January this year.
In focus
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Feb 2019
Sick leave being scrutinised again
Feb 15, 2019 When unemployment falls sick leave levels rise, says Finnish researcher Jenni Blomgren. As a result, authorities are looking for ways to get more people into work. But how to do this is no easy task. 17 years of an inclusive workplace agrement in Norway shows as much. And not only adults fall ill (picture above). In Sweden, February is the top month for both "vabba" and "vobba".
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Dec 2018
2018 – a trying year for Statistics Norway’s independence
Dec 17, 2018 Statistics Norway (SSB) did not hold back in its description of itself in its latest annual report: “SSB acts as Norway’s first line of defence in the fight against fake news by providing objective and relevant statistics, research and analysis to help understand Norway,” it says.
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Dec 2018