News — Nordic Labour Journal

Finnish presidency to continue fight against youth unemployment

(Feb 11, 2011) The Finnish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers' wants to spend 2011 to focus on global cooperation, border cooperation, youth, the future needs for labour market competence, extended careers and the prevention of accidents in the workplace.

OECD warning to Sweden on unemployment

(Feb 09, 2011) The OECD praised the Swedish economy in its economic report on 20 January. But there was also a warning about Sweden's high unemployment rate and the risk of a two tier labour market.

Agency workers should have equal rights

(Feb 08, 2011) Workers hired through labour agencies should be granted the same rights to salaries, holidays and working hours as if they were hired directly by the company employing them, says a Swedish special investigator.

Meeting of Nordic Labour Ministers: Turning point for youth politics

(Dec 01, 2010) How do you reach youths who are not in education nor employment? How do you motivate youth to finish their education? How do you secure a safe transition between school and working life? These were among the questions when labour ministers met to discuss youth unemployment in Copenhagen on 25 November.

Nordic region's anti-social dumping drive

(Nov 26, 2010) The fight against some Eastern European workers' bad working conditions in the Nordic countries depends on better information.

FMs Lavrov and Støre call border agreement small yet important

(Nov 03, 2010) Norway's and Russia's Foreign Ministers signed an agreement on 2 November making it much easier for 9,000 Norwegians and 45,00o Russians to visit each other.

Work environment key to Swedish competitiveness

(Nov 03, 2010) The work environment is often associated with risks, but now the Swedish government wants to turn the phrase on its head and highlight the positive sides. A good work environment can improve workers' health, lift the business and improve competitiveness. Those are some of the conclusions from the government's national action plan for the work environment which it presented in September.

Early, active measures to fight youth unemployment

(Oct 11, 2010) All the Nordic countries are hard at work to limit the rising youth unemployment. The measures differ but there is broad agreement on the need for early, comprehensive and active measures to help youth finish their education.

New jobs from bottlenecks

(Sep 30, 2010) Sustainable development will be the main trend for working life next year, predicts Finnish future researcher Antti Kasvio at the Helsinki-based Finnish Institute of Occupational Health. He and colleague Timo Räikkönen have looked at how global changes influence the way we work.

"The Nordic region must capitalise on social capital"

(Sep 29, 2010) The Nordic countries are unofficial world champions when it comes to social capital - a clear competitive advantage. But to keep that advantage business leaders must become better at exploring the potential of social capital, according to a new Danish book.

Working life: a non-issue in the Swedish election

(Sep 28, 2010) Jobs and social security were important issues during September's parliamentary elections in Sweden. Yet there was no focus on how people view their working environments. "There was an exceptional lack of debates about working life," says Roger Mörtvik, public policy director at the Swedish Confederation for Professional Employees.

Curtain fall for the Laval case

(Aug 31, 2010) Sweden's Supreme Court has refused to reverse the Swedish Labour Court's judgement in the Laval case. Now a labour law expert says the state should pay the considerable compensation which trade unions have been ordered to pay.

Healthy, competent citizens: the Nordic plan for global competitiveness

(Aug 31, 2010) Giant pan-Nordic drive for health and well-being takes off.

EU spotlight on Nordic poverty

(Jul 01, 2010) The European Union's Year for Combating Poverty 2010 touches a sore spot in Sweden and Finland. Poverty and social exclusion is on the rise while politicians maintain their welfare policies are solid enough to face the challenges. Poverty experts agree that in this debate the EU Commission plays the progressive force to the Nordic governments' conservative one.

Female boardrooms quotas for Iceland

(Jul 01, 2010) Iceland follows Norway's lead and introduces legislation forcing companies to fill their boardrooms with at least 40 percent women. But before the law comes into effect in 2013 gender equality has taken a small step back.