News — Nordic Labour Journal

Danish unemployment benefit reform around the corner

(Oct 21, 2015) Denmark's more than century old unemployment benefit system is being modernised. Considering the reactions to the proposal for a more flexible system from the commission on unemployment benefits, political negotiations will be tough.

Norway: Government to strengthen measures aimed at youths

(Oct 17, 2015) Unemployment is growing in Norway, especially among young people. The government’s 2016 budget proposal includes a youth package aimed at preventing more young people from falling outside of education and working life.

Unity needed to deal with EU pressure on the Nordic model

(Sep 29, 2015) Adjustments and unity will be needed to maintain the unique Nordic collective-bargaining model. That was the assessment from Denmark’s Minister for Employment, Danish EU politicians and the social partners at a conference in the wake of a new report about the Nordic collective-bargaining model and the EU.

The Nordic region’s remote areas need a dynamic employment policy

(Sep 29, 2015) “Whether unemployment is high or low, it is crucial to have a concrete and dynamic employment policy which can withstand the changing economy. Employment is key for a society’s long term survival, especially in small societies.”

Sweden tightens public procurement rules

(Sep 29, 2015) Swedish authorities could become obliged to make sure that public procurement suppliers pay their employees in line with collective agreements. A government appointed commission has just suggested how this could work.

OECD: Big increase in number of foreign born doctors and nurses

(Sep 29, 2015) Over the past ten years the number of nurses and doctors who have moved to one of the 38 OECD countries has risen by 60 percent. The number of foreign born doctors now makes up nearly one third of all doctors in Sweden and one in four doctors in Norway.

Time pressure bigger work environment issue in the Nordics than rest of Europe

(Sep 29, 2015) Psychosocial risk factors are identified as the main challenge by the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work in their second major survey of work environments in European countries.

Complicated relationship between EU and Nordic labour law systems

(Jun 22, 2015) The courts have acquired a greater role in the labour law system at the expense of politicians and the social partners. And knowing what the law actually means is becoming so difficult for employers and trade unions that the rule of law is under threat, argue the authors of a new book from the Nordic Council of Ministers.

New portal for Nordic jobs

(May 13, 2015) Today jobseekers in the Nordic countries must apply to the individual countries’ employment services which advertise jobs in their own individual languages . Now a new service aims to make it easier to find jobs.

Poul Nielson to map Nordic labour cooperation

(May 12, 2015) The entire Nordic labour sector will be analysed by Poul Nielson, a former Danish government minister and EU Commissioner, on behalf of the Nordic Council of Ministers. Nielson will present recommendations for how to strengthen Nordic labour market cooperation.

June general strike looms in Iceland

(May 12, 2015) Iceland is already dealing with several strikes and more trade unions are threatening industrial action. There will be a general strike in June if the parties fail to reach a collective agreement. The strikes have already become the largest labour market conflict in Iceland in 25 years.

Experts propose a more labour targeted and user friendly NAV

(Apr 15, 2015) One year has passed since Norway’s Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Robert Eriksson appointed the Expert group tasked with undertaking a comprehensive review of the Labour and Welfare Administration NAV under the motto ‘From bureaucratic reform to user reform’. Now the report is ready: ‘A NAV with possibilities.’

Mediator needed to help with working conditions for posted workers

(Apr 15, 2015) The Swedish government should appoint a mediator or a working group to help the parties in certain trades agree on which conditions in their collective agreements that should also cover posted workers. This is the proposal from the Inquiry into new rules on postings, which presented its conclusions on 31 March.

Another EU win for Finnish trade unions

(Apr 15, 2015) Finnish trade unions have had another major victory in the EU Court of Justice. This time it is about collective agreement rules which restrict employers’ rights to use agency workers. The judgement is important also from a Swedish point of view.

Estonians are returning home

(Apr 15, 2015) The Baltic states are loosing active citizens fast, but in Estonia the authorities have started counting them back in.