News — Nordic Labour Journal

Eliza Reid – Iceland's outstanding First Lady

(Mar 25, 2022) On March the 8th, the book Secrets of the Sprakkar was published in the US after having first been released in Iceland in 2020. It deals with gender equality in Iceland, considered to be among the best in the world. Sprakkar is an ancient Icelandic word for “outstanding women”. A few of these outstanding women are interviewed in the book.

Renewed drive to fight work-related crime in the Nordics

(Mar 25, 2022) All of the Nordics have intensified the fight against work-related crime. Norway’s new government has launched what it calls a spring clean of the Nordic labour market. Sweden’s deputy Minister for Employment Johan Danielsson has been tasked with coordinating the policy, and recently visited Oslo where he met his Norwegian colleague Marte Mjøs Persen.

Another yellow card from Sweden – against platform work proposal

(Mar 25, 2022) The European Commission has yet again presented a proposal that puts the Swedish labour market model at risk. That is the view of the Swedish parliament, which has decided to hand out a so-called yellow card against the proposed directive for better working conditions in platform work, presented in December. The strains from Denmark and Finland are more positive.

Nordics showed resilience during the pandemic

(Mar 25, 2022) The Nordic countries managed well economically during the pandemic in light of the massive changes that were undertaken. In four of the five countries, life expectancy rose. Denmark spent the most money while Norway did best overall while also experiencing a baby boom.

Will the ILO elect its first female Director-General?

(Mar 25, 2022) On 25 March, the International Labour Organisation, ILO, will elect a new Director-General. There are five candidates, two of whom are women – Kang Kyung-wha from South Korea and Muriel Pénicaud from France. Both are former government ministers.

Hadia Tajik: Norway’s Minister of Labour goes after tax scandal

(Mar 25, 2022) Hadia Tajik, deputy leader of Norway’s governing Labour Party, stepped down as the country’s Minister of Labour on Wednesday after revelations she failed to pay tax for a commuter flat 15 years ago while working as a political advisor at the Ministry for Labour and Social Inclusion.

Swedish Employment Service wins award for anti-violence work

(Feb 12, 2022) Over the past four years, the Swedish Public Employment Service has worked to increase awareness around violence in close relationships, which is often a hidden cause of long-term unemployment. They have trained 6,000 staff as well as suppliers and clients. Now they have been awarded the 2022 Swedish Gender Equality Award.

Iceland’s capital area waste collection no longer rubbish

(Feb 10, 2022) Despite all the progress that has taken place in waste management, Iceland’s six capital municipalities still do not recycle household biological waste. The municipalities do not even share the same waste management system. But now things are finally changing.

The Faroe Islands: A country without prisons

(Jan 28, 2022) If you are sentenced to more than 18 months in prison in the Faroe Islands, you will suffer the additional penalty of being sent to Denmark to serve your sentence. Because there are no prisons in the Faroe Islands.

Swedish LO: The ETUC no longer represents us

(Jan 28, 2022) The Swedish Trade Union Confederation (LO) has stopped paying its membership fee to the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and will no longer participate in the organisation’s meetings – all in protest against the ETUC’s handling of the directive on adequate minimum wages.

Hybrid work: Nordic border commuters face income tax headache

(Dec 07, 2021) Hybrid work became a solution for many companies during the Corona pandemic. But people commuting across borders risked being taxed in a different country because they were working from home. The Nordic Border Barriers Council is on the case.

Platform work challenges the Nordic model

(Dec 07, 2021) Should we be adding a third labour market category in addition to employer and employee? As the Nordic labour ministers met in Helsinki between 22 and 23 November, much of the discussion centred on platform work and the challenges this presents for the Nordic model.

EEA/EFTA countries meet as Hungary blocks final declaration

(Nov 26, 2021) The 53rd EEA Council meeting on 24 November at the new EFTA House in Brussels ended without a final declaration. Hungary took the highly unusual step to veto it in a move seen as revenge against EEA grants to the country being stopped earlier.

The Nordics come together to prepare for future crises

(Nov 16, 2021) When new crises shake the Nordic region, the countries will cooperate on crisis preparedness and keep a close dialogue before introducing closed borders and other restrictions which impact on Nordic neighbours. There is broad agreement for this between the Nordic governments and parliamentarians.

Nordics agree to protect culture as well as the climate

(Nov 16, 2021) Climate and sustainability get more from the 2022 Nordic cooperation budget, while culture and education avoid planned cuts.