Work Environment — Nordic Labour Journal

Do we have the right tools to fight for a better work environment?

(May 27, 2024) Events that are near in time always get the most attention. But is that always smart? A study of work-related deaths from Finland’s top work environment experts shows that accidents in the workplace only counted for one per cent of deaths. Yet 57 per cent of state controls are performed to prevent accidents.

Nordics counting the costs of work-related illness

(May 27, 2024) 3,000 Swedes die every year from work-related injuries. Unlike fatalities and accidents in the workplace, the effects of poor working environments are harder to see and measure. For the individual, the lost years amount to an immeasurable loss, but society also stands to lose an estimated 4 per cent of GDP per country a year.

More exposed to cancer – Norwegian firefighters pushing for legal change

(May 27, 2024) They expose themselves to great risks to save others and property. But the price they pay can be high. Firefighters are more likely to develop cancer than people in most other occupations. There are now growing calls for making it easier for firefighters to have cancer recognised as an occupational disease.

No horsing around with the work environment for the Swedish equine sector

(May 27, 2024) The Swedish horse industry faces challenges both in terms of high accident risks and heavy labour. To improve the work environment, they offer training and also use research to find new methods and tools to create better conditions. Now, a new equestrian centre where new technology will be tested is nearing completion.

Finnish future report: Youths worry about fitting into the labour market

(May 27, 2024) Finnish school students have become more anxious about their ability to succeed in the future job market. A new future report shows only 53 per cent of young people are enthusiastic about entering the labour market. In 2018 82 per cent said the same.

Danish farmers “exploiting foreign interns”

(May 27, 2024) Danish farmers are using cheap labour from Vietnam, Uganda, Tanzania and India by using an agricultural intern programme. Trade unions have been critical to their working conditions and have secured continued oversight of the programme.

How do you stop the exploitation of foreign labour?

(May 27, 2024) There have always been groups of foreign workers in the Nordic labour markets who are hard to define. Are they coming to work, study or as a cultural exchange? They might be au pairs, interns or berry pickers.

Mobilising for a strong social Europe

(Apr 29, 2024) On 16 April, a new social declaration on the future of employment policy covering the years 2024 to 2019 was adopted in Belgian La Hulpe. The La Hulpe Declaration was signed by the Belgian Presidency on behalf of 25 countries. Sweden and Austria were the only EU states not to sign.

EU directive gives Nordic platform workers new hope

(Mar 25, 2024) The EU platform work directive is in place at last. It should help platform workers in the Nordic EU countries who work for companies like Foodora and Wolt to secure decent working conditions. In Norway, this was solved at the start of this year through a change to the working environment act.

Threats to Swedish social service workers: New inquiry proposes stricter legislation

(Feb 29, 2024) Threats and harassment against public officials in Sweden are commonplace and on the rise. This has major consequences for individual employees and risks undermining democracy in the long term. A new public inquiry proposes stricter penalties for violence towards public officials as well as making it a crime to insult public officials.