News — Nordic Labour Journal

Icelandic companies want to introduce equal pay standard ahead of time

(Apr 09, 2018) Icelandic companies are hard at work preparing to meet demands introduced in equal pay legislation presented at the start of the year. Several of them want to adapt the equal pay standard before the deadline. But the amount of work is greater than expected, and the first ones out must start from scratch.

Norwegian experts: Whistleblowers need more protection

(Mar 23, 2018) The government-appointed committee assessing the need for better laws and regulations surrounding whistleblowing wants to strengthen the protection of whistleblowers with an ombudsman who can provide advice and assistance in whistleblowing cases, and a separate dispute commission to make it easier for people to speak out. Both could be enshrined in a whistleblower law.

Gender equality money to draw people to professions with labour shortages

(Mar 07, 2018) Region Gotland has decided to set aside extra money for this year’s wage review to fill the pay gap and to help professions facing labour shortages. The hope is that the right money can get existing workers to stay and tempt new ones to come and work on the island.

Norwegian technical studies recruitment a model for Nordic universities

(Mar 07, 2018) A considerable proportion of girls choose not to study sciences and technology. The Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU in Trondheim has chosen to hold several fairs to recruit girls. The rest of the Nordics will follow, the “girl agents” say.

Swedish social partners warn against EU directive on employment conditions

(Mar 01, 2018) Is the EU about to take over member states’ prerogative to regulate employment and working conditions? Yes, this is what may happen if the Commission’s proposal for a directive ‘for more transparent and predictable working conditions in the European Union’ is passed, warn both trade unions and employers in Sweden.

Norway’s blue-green government with a labour market focus

(Feb 08, 2018) The Liberal Party is the new party in the Norwegian government coalition. Prime Minister Erna Solberg has also reshuffled some of her government ministers. Five out of six main points in the new government’s political platform are about the labour market.

Students in Danish vocational schools need to expand their vision

(Feb 08, 2018) 19 year old Marcus Brask Nielsen spent four weeks in London studying and in an internship as part of his vocational education. It boosted his self-confidence and gave him courage to work abroad. Many other students in vocational training stay at home, and this worries schools and the social partners.

EU youth unemployment: Some jobs are worse than being unemployed

(Jan 16, 2018) Nine years after the start of the economic crisis in Europe, several EU countries are struggling to lift millions of youths out of unemployment and idleness. The youth guarantee, which the EU promised would get young people back on their feet, has so far produced no miracles.

Teaching Danes how to manage robots

(Dec 08, 2017) Your future colleague might well be a robot. This will mean great changes in the labour market according to a new report discussed by the Disruption Council during its fourth meeting.

From opera to Slush – how #metoo is changing the Nordics

(Dec 08, 2017) The global #metoo campaign, which sheds light on sexual harassment and aims to break the culture of the silence surrounding it, has arrived in the Nordics. Many groups in Sweden, from actors and journalists to lawyers and trade union members, have signed petitions. We take a closer look at the situation in Denmark and Finland.

Metoo - also at the Oslo ministers' meeting

(Dec 08, 2017) "This is a huge thing," says an engaged Ylva Johansson, Sweden's Minister for Employment. The working environment was a topic for debate during the Oslo labour ministers' meeting. There she explained the scale of #metoo in Sweden. Next year her country will be heading the Nordic Council of Ministers, focussing on integration, the future of work and measures to stop work-related crime.

Three party coalition in Iceland: Tough tasks for new minister

(Dec 07, 2017) There are some tough tasks ahead for Iceland’s new Minister of Social Affairs and Equality Ásmundur Einar Daðason, who is also responsible for labour market issues. The Minister’s most important job will be to maintain peace and understanding in the Icelandic labour market.

Norwegian barometer highlights importance of collective decision-making

(Dec 06, 2017) Changes and reorganisations are far less conflict-prone if employees both participate in and have influence over the process. Yet the trend is increasingly moving towards more authoritarian management models where standardisation and control are the most important factors. These are some of the results from this year’s barometer on collective decision-making in Norway.

Newly arrived depend on social networks to find jobs

(Nov 23, 2017) 70 percent of newly arrived people in Sweden found jobs through social networks, compared to the 16 percent who found jobs via the employment service. The employment gap between native Swedes and those born abroad is still wide, however. It is particularly hard for people those with no upper secondary education, and for women.

Sweden: New jobs model for refugees and long-term unemployed

(Nov 23, 2017) The Confederation of Swedish Enterprise and the Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) have reached an agreement in principle to make it easier for refugees and long-term unemployed to find jobs in Sweden. To make the agreement binding, both organisations’ affiliates must accept it. It is also dependent on public financing of parts of the workers’ wages.