News — Nordic Labour Journal

OECD: Economic worries fuel immigration debate

(Jun 19, 2013) The number of asylum seekers in the whole of the OECD topped 400,000 for the first time in eight years in 2011. Preliminary figures shows this trend carrying on in 2012. There are large differences within the Nordic region. In Sweden last year nearly twice as many people sought asylum as in Denmark, Finland and Norway combined.

Avoiding change-induced stress in the workplace

(May 22, 2013) Changes are common in Nordic workplaces, and the social partners in Denmark are now joining forces to prevent this from causing stress.

New government in Iceland

(May 22, 2013) Iceland has a new government. It has announced a stop to EU membership negotiations to allow time to decide whether negotiations will continue at all. It is still unclear when a referendum on EU membership will take place.

ILO critical of Sweden’s handling of the Laval case

(Apr 16, 2013) Sweden’s Labour Court and ”lex Laval” comes under severe criticism from the International Labour Organisation, giving the Swedish government plenty of food for thought.

Iceland: Banking staff face health problems after crash

(Apr 16, 2013) The health of banking staff has deteriorated since the 2008 Icelandic banking crash. Those who lost their jobs and found new ones are doing better than those who stayed in their original jobs. The number of bank workers visiting health clinics doubled between 2008 and 2012.

Working environment one important key to get Swedes to work for longer

(Apr 16, 2013) On 9 April the Swedish pension group presented its final report ‘Measures for a longer working life’. As we live longer we need to work for longer, and the review recommends establishing a flexible ‘a recommended retirement age’ for pensions, linked to life expectancy.

ILO: No extra jobs for youths despite older workers’ retirement

(Apr 08, 2013) Europe must handle rising youth unemployment as well as an ageing population. The fact that young people don’t step into jobs which are vacated might seem like a paradox, but this is what is happening according to the International Labour Organisation, which stages a major conference in Oslo between 8 and 11 April.

OECD: Norway’s welfare system needs reform to keep people with mental issues in work

(Mar 08, 2013) Norway’s sickness benefit system allowing 100 percent compensation from day one is too generous. Financial incentives for all parties - employees and employers, unions, municipalities, schools and mental health care services - should help them take responsibility. That is the OECD’s message to Norway.

The Nordic role in Europe’s crisis

(Mar 08, 2013) Participants at the conference ‘Nordic ways out of the crisis’ agreed the Nordic countries can play an important role in southern Europe’s current economic crisis. Yet just how the Nordic countries can work together and how much support there is for such work remains uncertain.

Swedish Presidency hosts 2013 summit on young people and work

(Feb 08, 2013) The programme for the Nordic Council of Ministers’ cooperation on working life issues for 2013 is called ‘An inclusive working life with focus on young people’ and has been prepared by Sweden’s Minister for Employment Hillevi Engström.

German-style pay cuts tempt Finnish employers, fuels mistrust

(Feb 08, 2013) In Finland a hot debate on the lowering wages kicked off at the start of the year, reflecting a deep lack of trust between employers and employees which had been brewing for years.

New employment policy for Denmark

(Feb 08, 2013) Municipal job centres will undergo a thorough review and might need a total overhaul. Previous employment measures do not work, the government says.

The Icesave conflict: Iceland did not break the rules

(Jan 31, 2013) Icelanders rejoice. The Efta court says Iceland did not break EEA rules when refusing to pay compensation to customers of the Icelandic online bank Icesave. Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir is critical of the other Nordic countries for not supporting Iceland during the dispute.

OECD: Sweden has the most immigrants - Iceland has the most jobs for them

(Dec 13, 2012) Sweden has the highest proportion of immigrants. Iceland, where the number of immigrants has doubled in ten years, is fast reaching the same level.

Iceland’s plan for bridging the pay gap

(Nov 15, 2012) Iceland’s government and the social partners have reached a new gender pay gap deal. In the next two years they aim to reduce the gap and to agree on a project plan with joint solutions and measures. Their goal is equal pay for equal work. The public sector should set an example for other employers.