News — Nordic Labour Journal

Denmark and Sweden’s EU dilemma over minimum wages

(Oct 28, 2022) Should the government go to the EU Court of Justice to have the directive on adequate minimum wages in the European Union nullified? That question is now being debated in Denmark and Sweden after the directive was adopted with an overwhelming majority. But it is far from given that any of the two countries’ governments will take action.

"Yellow" trade union struggles to gain foothold in Norway

(Oct 28, 2022) Krifa claims to be a good alternative to traditional trade unions in Norway, especially as union membership is up among employers but down among employees. Traditional unions feel Krifa is too close to employers and disagree with their anti-strike policy.

Fiskars – the ironworks village that changed its spots

(Sep 22, 2022) The Fiskars ironworks was in decline but became a culture and tourism village. Here, the idea of labour has really changed – and it has paid off.

Vulnerable young people – how best to find them jobs and a place in society?

(Sep 22, 2022) What is needed to help vulnerable young people be included in work, education and society? A new report sums up the situation in the Nordics. Here is a spoiler: There is no ”quick fix”.

Finland extends parental leave

(Sep 22, 2022) Three Nordic countries have recently made changes to parental leave. Iceland increased the leave for both parents to six months in 2021, while Denmark and Finland made changes this summer.

Labour market policies a challenge for Swedish government negotiations

(Sep 22, 2022) Labour market issues were overshadowed by crime, high energy prices and immigration in the run-up to the Swedish election. As the centre-right block tries to negotiate a government platform supported by the Sweden Democrats, unemployment and public health insurance might be among the political chess pieces.

Swedes abroad: Can they really sway an election?

(Sep 22, 2022) Every four years a special group of people get attention for a moment of time – the Swedes living aboard. Everyone wants to know how they will vote in the parliamentary elections. It is often claimed that overseas votes “can determine the election” because they are counted so late. But this year there was also a new phenomenon – the immigrant party Nyans.

New whistleblower act challenges Sweden’s unique freedom of expression

(Aug 18, 2022) Freedom of expression is enshrined in the Swedish constitution, and no other country has more far-reaching protection for employees who want to go public with irregularities in the workplace. As a result, expectations of a new whistleblower act were high. Criticism came fast.

Iceland’s union chief quits among infighting

(Aug 18, 2022) The has been an increasing conflict within the labour unions in Iceland for the past few years. Now it has reached a new level as Drífa Snædal, the President of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour, resigned from her post on 10 August.

Norway’s labour shortages stretch to “the furthest island”

(Aug 18, 2022) The lack of qualified labour has become a major problem in many places in the Nordics. In the Norwegian county of Trøndelag unemployment has never been lower. This can also be felt on Frøya, an island of some 5,000 people.

Sweden lands new landmark main agreement

(Aug 18, 2022) Finally, the large labour law reform which has been called a structural shift for the Swedish model is in place. LO, PTK Council for Negotiation and Cooperation and the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise have signed the new basic agreement on “security, transition and employment protection”.

Arvika: Where EU temporary protection directive is turned into housing, jobs and schooling

(May 26, 2022) By May 2022, 12.5 million Ukrainians were fleeing the war. 5.5 million have fled abroad and are covered by the EU’s temporary protection directive. 134 of them have arrived in Arvika in Sweden’s Western Värmland, which has now signed an agreement with the Swedish Migration Board to settle refugees long term.

Nordic focus on new jobs without discrimination

(May 26, 2022) Upskilling and gender equality will be central to the Nordic countries’ labour market cooperation in the coming years.

After a couple of yellow cards – EU agreement on Swedish startup jobs

(May 26, 2022) Sweden will be able to spend 404 million euro in state support for so-called etableringsjobb – or entry jobs – for newly arrived and long-term unemployed people. That is now clear as the European Commission has approved a completely new model for encouraging companies to hire people who find it particularly hard to access the Swedish labour market.

Hopes dashed on the Finnish-Russian border

(May 26, 2022) “Parikkala is a municipality people usually drive right past,” says Mayor Vesa Huuskonen, with only a hint of humour. Parikkala is an agricultural municipality with an ageing population in South-Western Finland, right on the border with Russia. Plans for an international border crossing have been scrapped because of the changed international situation.