Portrait
Paula Lehtomäki wants a new Nordic passport union and a clearer Nordic Council of Ministers
May 26, 2019 Nordic citizens should be able to use digital ID and use digital services in neighbouring countries, says the new Secretary General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. She wants to continue delivering results that really benefit the region's citizens.
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Inclusion on a labour market with ever increasing demands
May 26, 2019 Inclusion is something which all the Nordic countries treasure. Yet while they agree on the goal, they often use different measures and have different ideas for how the labour market should work. How, for instance, does an education system using a lot of workplace training impact on those who do not finish their education? Does strong employment protection help youths?
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Torstein Lerhol is responsible for 700 staff. Now he wants to become mayor.
May 26, 2019 Torstein Lerhol can only move one finger, but feels he can contribute to society just like anybody else thanks to the support he gets from his home municipality of Vang in Oppland, Norway. He wants to give something back. That is why he will run for mayor this autumn.
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New Finnish work environment policy
May 06, 2019 Psychosocial strain of work will increase as the transformation of work accelerates. We must therefore take a more comprehensive approach to risk assessments. That is the main message from the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health’s new policy for the work environment until 2030.
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Unique study compares how Denmark, Norway and Sweden integrate refugees
Apr 29, 2019 Who is best out of Denmark, Norway and Sweden at integrating refugees into their labour market? The answer depends at what stage after the refugees’ arrival you measure the success. Refugees to Denmark find jobs faster, but in the longer run more refugees get jobs in Sweden than in Denmark. Norway is the clear winner when it comes to integrating female refugees.
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ILO and the Nordics: At the frontline in fight for the future of work
Apr 12, 2019 There was a positive atmosphere as the ILO Director-General and representatives from the Nordic ministries of labour gathered in Iceland to discuss the challenges around the future of work. The Nordic model has proved to be adaptable to rapid and major change before, and the development of new technology is something people can actually control.
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Equal pay: a fight between genders or between the rich and poor?
Apr 12, 2019 Society treasures resources and power more than anything. If we do not deal with economic inequality we will get nowhere, said the leader of the Icelandic trade union Efling, Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, during a panel debate at the Nordic conference The Future of Work, held in Reykjavik between 4th-5th April.
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Parental leave in Iceland gives dad a strong position
Apr 12, 2019 Since Iceland introduced nine months parental leave with three months earmarked fathers, their participation in childcare has changed radically – in a good way. Mothers return to work earlier, and get back to working ordinary hours faster. Daddy leave has been the main driver in this development.
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Nordic project: why do so few girls want to become engineers?
Apr 12, 2019 Many future jobs will be centred around digitalisation, the development of artificial intelligence and robots, and biotechnology. But far too few girls chose to study the subjects that are relevant to these areas. The Nordic labour ministers want to know why.
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A shift in work-related crime – or just prettier facades?
Apr 12, 2019 The Norwegian Labour Inspection Authority has uncovered less work-related crime in 2018, even though more controls have been carried out compared to in previous years. Some point to improved cross-sector cooperation, while critics say inspections are of little use if they are not unannounced.
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Iceland’s equal pay standard – the employer’s best weapon?
Apr 12, 2019 From Reykjavík in the south to Sauðárkrókur in the north – companies across Iceland are introducing the equal pay standard which aims to eradicate gender pay gaps. But the reform also faces criticism from some who say it restricts employees’ opportunities to secure pay increases and bonuses.
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Digitalisation and new forms of employment: what’s happening under the surface?
Apr 12, 2019 We have yet to see dramatic change to the way people are employed in the Nordic region as a result of digitalisation and new ways of organising work. But the nature of work will change nevertheless. This could lead to conflicts of interests and friction between different work groups, says Fafo researcher Jon Erik Dølvik. He heads a major research project which will inform Nordic governments and the ILO.
In focus
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.
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