Greenland: New legislation to secure improved working environments

There will be added focus on workplace challenges like sexual harassment, stress and PTSD in Greenlandic workplaces and within the country’s Working Environment Authority, which is tasked with policing working environments.

Greenland’s working environment legislation has not been updated for 18 years and is outdated in terms of protecting workers’ psychological working conditions. The Danish parliament, responsible for working environment issues in Greenland, has therefore passed new working environment legislation for the autonomous territory.

Aaja Chemnitz.  Photo: Johannes Jansson/Norden.org

The new legislation came into force on 1 July 2023 and placed far more focus on the psychological working environment than before. The change is being welcomed by Aaja Chemnitz, who represents Greenland’s government party Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) in the Danish parliament.

“The fact that the new legislation also focuses on the psychological working environment is a great step forward. It means we will be able to prevent psychological strain like stress, harassment and sexual harassment in a much better way. This is needed.” 

Stress and PTSD are issues that are far more common among police officers and prison staff in Greenland compared to in Denmark, points out Aaja Chemnitz. She hopes that the new legislation can also reduce the harsh and psychologically draining tone that sometimes exists between managers and employees in some workplaces. 

Invisible authority 

The Government of Greenland is responsible for the majority of employment issues in the territory, but the working environment is still governed by the Danish Ministry of Employment, and Aaja Chemnitz has criticised Greenland's working environment policies several times in the Danish parliament.

She has accused the Greenlandic Working Environment Authority of being far too “invisible” and she has also criticised the Greenlandic Working Environment Council, which is made up of trade union members, and the Danish government as well.

“I welcome the fact that the Danish government is now taking the criticism seriously, and I will keep a keen eye on how the legislation is implemented. It is important that it comes with the necessary resources.”

During negotiations for the 2024 budget, she argued that more workers and managers in Greenland should be given access to online working environment training. 

“This is mandatory training for companies, but there is far from enough capacity and this is very unfortunate,” says Aaja Chemnitz.

Government minister visit

The Danish Minister for Employment Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen from the Social Democrats said that there is now “a solid basis for our continuing work to secure a safe and healthy working environment in Greenland” as the new legislation was being passed. 

The legislation means there will be:

• Increased focus on psychological working environments in Greenland
• Higher fines for companies that violate rules in the working environment act under particularly aggravating circumstances
• Stricter rules on companies’ Risk Assessments (APVs)
• A modernising of rules concerning companies’ cooperation on health and safety

Jess Svane, Naalakkersuisoq (minister) of Social Affairs, Home Affairs and the Labour Market in Greenland, and  Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen, Minister for Employment in Denmark. (Photo: Naalakkersuisoq/Marie Hald).

After the legislation was passed, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen visited Greenland to learn more about working environments in Greenlandic workplaces. She and her Greenlandic counterpart visited several companies, including a fish processing plant owned by Royal Greenland.

The fisheries industry represents 95 per cent of Greenland’s exports and Royal Greenland is one of the country’s largest employers with 2,286 staff, 48 plants and production facilities across Greenland, Canada and Europe plus a large number of fishing vessels.

Aaja Chemnitz considers Royal Greenland to be “an important role model” for other Greenlandic companies when it comes to working systematically for a good working environment.

Knife and falling injuries

Royal Greenland has in recent years carried out legally required Risk Assessments (APVs)  both at onshore and offshore fish processing plants.

At Royal Greenland's factory in Qasigiannguit 25 ton halibut can be processed per day. Photo: Royal Greenland.

This has provided data on a range of dangerous working conditions and the company has identified some of the most dangerous as being:

• Falling and tripping accidents on slippery and uneven floors cause the most injuries 
• Knives and non-mechanical tools also cause a relatively high number of injuries
• Falling objects that hit a toe or similar
• Heavy lifting
• Cold weather and draughts

Some workers also point to bullying and unwanted sexual behaviour, although this is a small group, writes Royal Greenland on their website. 

The number of injuries per full-time employee fell in 2022, according to the company, which is due to “increased focus on the working environment in recent years”. 

Royal Greenland is currently establishing an integrated system for quality, working environments and the natural environment. A working group will make sure that local representatives are trained to discuss private issues if colleagues need this. If the challenge requires additional skills, it will be possible to seek further assistance through the supervisor and HR. 

The aim is to fully implement an integrated working environment and environmental system across the whole of Royal Greenland by 2030.

Greenlandic in the Danish parliament 

The Danish-Greenlandic relationship was also addressed by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (Social Democrats) in her traditional speech at the October opening of the 2023-2024 parliamentary session.

She said this about the unity of the realm between Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands:

“It is not Denmark that decides the future of Greenland or the Faroe Islands. This is a decision that rests with Nuuk and Tórshavn. But for now, we have the unity of the realm. And personally, I hope this remains for many years to come. While we retain an equal cooperation between the three countries, three peoples, three governments. And three languages. Which from now on can be used from this rostrum.”

With this, the Prime Minister alluded to the fact that the parliamentary presidium has decided that members of parliament from Greenland and the Faroe Islands can now speak in their own languages when addressing the Danish parliament, before providing a Danish translation.