Theme: The 100-year-wave hits the Nordic labour market
Vappu Berggren
Old people and politics
The Faroe Islands want to tempt women to move back home. There is a female deficit. Like in many more remote areas in the Nordic region, there is a demographic imbalance. Young people are drawn to urban areas, and the older grow older still. Can migrants fill the holes in the labour market as the health and care sectors’ responsibilities grow? “The hundred-year-wave hits the Nordic labour market” is this issue's theme.
Refugees bring new life to Finnish Punkalaidun, known for its coffins
The road to Punkalaidun is beautiful, but treacherously winding and slippery in the wintertime. This is far out into the countryside. The municipality is more than 150 kilometres north-west of Helsinki.
Vappu Berggren: Of course the world has changed in 100 years
Ståhlberg, Relander, Svinhufvud, Kallio, Ryti, Mannerheim, Paasikivi, Kekkonen, Koivisto, Ahtisaari, Halonen and Niinistö!
"The welfare model is vulnerable to high levels of immigration of adults with low skills levels."
There was great concern in the Nordic countries a few years ago that they would be hit by an age shock. The fear was an increasing lack of labour as a result of falling numbers of young and middle aged people. But out of the four main demographic drivers, only one developed as expected: Populations are ageing.
Faroe Islands heading for dream target – 50,000 citizens
For several months – in fact for many years – the Faroese have been waiting for the magical number 50,000. And it is about to arrive! The latest official update says 49,820, the real figure is even closer to 50,000 and it is now only a matter of weeks.
Municipalities could be saved by newcomers
By 2030 Sweden’s countryside could have lost one third of its employable population compared to the year 2000, resulting in lost tax revenues, increased healthcare needs and a lack of labour. Many municipalities now put their hopes in the successful integration of newcomers. Krokom municipality is one of them.
Newcomers one of the solutions to the need for labour
Newcomers can represent an important contribution to the labour markets in the ageing Nordic countries if they learn the language and are given the opportunity to settle into the labour market, especially in more remote areas which for decades have been loosing many of their employable young to the cities.
Þorsteinn Víglundsson: Legislating for an equal pay standard
Iceland’s new Minister of Social Affairs and Equal Rights, Þorsteinn Víglundsson, will introduce a brand new labour market policy based on the Nordic model. He will also present proposed legislation to implement an equal pay standard. Þorsteinn knows the labour market well, having been the Director General of the Confederation of Icelandic Employers (SA).
Job prize to get more Danish long term unemployed into work
A cash prize awaits Danes who get a job after a long time on unemployment benefits. Long term unemployment benefit receivers are also given help to find casual jobs. Yet one expert questions whether the economic incentive is large enough.
Norway in legal pickle over Posting Directive
In Norway the social partners are responsible for wage setting and therefore they are responsible for solving the problem. That was the Norwegian government’s message to Efta’s surveillance authority ESA.
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