News — Nordic Labour Journal

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.

Katrín Jakobsdóttir tipped as Iceland's new Prime Minister

(Nov 17, 2017) Iceland’s Left-Green Movement (VG) won Iceland’s parliamentary elections in late October. Party leader Katrín Jakobsdóttir will most probably become Prime Minister in a coalition government. Katrín would be the country’s second female head of government after Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir.

Gothenburg EU summit: “We are taking the Nordic model to Europe"

(Nov 16, 2017) The mood was very good as trade unions and voluntary organisations met ahead of the EU summit focusing on the social pillar.

Nordic Council Helsinki session: Promising deeper labour market cooperation

(Nov 03, 2017) The 69th session of the Nordic Council in Helsinki had a celebratory air as Finland was marking its centenary as an independent nation. Labour market issues formed a common thread throughout the session.

Continuing education gets huge push from Danish government and social partners

(Nov 02, 2017) The Danish government and the social partners have agreed to spend nearly 2.5 billion Danish kroner (€335m) on continuing education for more workers. The agreement has broad political backing, but one labour market expert wonders whether it goes far enough.