In Focus
Three sharing economy companies show one size doesn't fit all
Uber and Airbnb have taken most of the limelight, but new platform companies are being developed all the time. Finn.no, Cool Company and Ework Group are three examples of Nordic companies using digital platforms to link customers with various types of services.
A Nordic model for fair platform economies
He has a vision for Nordic cooperation between the social partners in order to make labour market agreements part of the digital platforms which organise and allocate work. “We want to create a distinctly Nordic variation of the platform economy and make it easier for employers to be good employers,” says Fredrik Söderqvist from the Unionen trade union.
The sharing economy and its effect on the labour market
How large is the sharing economy in the Nordic region really? And how should it be defined? One thing about the sharing economy most agree on is that it can be defined in different ways depending on whether you belive working conditions, flexibility. or technology is the most important thing.
From poverty to dream holiday in Bali thanks to Airbnb
The sharing economy is thriving in Iceland. It has not had major consequences for the country’s labour market, and the development has happened on its own terms – driven by tourism. Icelanders share their houses and cars with tourists. Iceland’s tax authorities are now going to work together with Airbnb.
Disruption shakes the Nordic agreement model
The social partners in the Nordic region have to adapt the Nordic labour market model to fit the sharing economy, driverless forklifts and other new labour market trends. If they don’t, others will, a Danish expert warns. The Danish government and the social partners have approached the task by establishing a new body: “The Disruption Council”.
Nordic working environment authorities with different views on social dumping
Nordic countries must make comprehensive changes to their working environment policies in the face of new ways of working and more posted workers from the EU. Everyone seems to agree that working environment issues are getting increasingly important, yet there are major differences in how the different countries handle the challenges – not least when it comes to social dumping.
Danish working environment in crisis – and measures are about to change
The Danish government has become so worried about the deterioration of the quality of working environments that it is now making changes to working environment measures. Trade unions are calling for a stop to cuts to the Working Environment Authority.
Iceland: Tourism boom leads to flourishing black market
The Icelandic dream turned into a nightmare, says a Polish woman. Eastern European bus drivers work for 500 euro a month. Hotels suspected of employing asylum seekers. People trafficking suspected as two people worked around the clock in a basement. These are headlines from Iceland.
Finland wants to have Europe's best working life by 2020
Finland’s strengths have not been used to create a competitive advantage. Now Finnish working life is to become the best in Europe. Businesses compete to innovate, create trust, well-being and competencies. The economic crisis was a temporary setback, but also a fresh start for the Working Life 2020 programme ('Arbetsliv2020’).
New centre of knowledge for Swedish working environments
A new, national centre for knowledge about and the assessment of working environments should be established either at Stockholm University or as a new government body, according to a proposal presented to the Swedish government.
Nordic gender equality stagnating, yet there is an increase in female working life leaders
There was no overall change in the distribution for Nordic women in the past year. But the Nordic Labour Journal’s gender equality barometer shows that there has been a further polarisation between the countries.
Out with the trade union sauna – in with gender equality!
Gender equality in Finnish trade unions might have been lagging behind other Nordic countries. But things are getting better.
Humor is a tool for gender equality in Värmland
Region Värmland and the Värmland county administrative board use humour in a new campaign to get young people to learn more about gender equality. The aim is to get the young to make more equal choices than today, which is considered necessary in order to create growth and a good life.
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.
Three main strands for Norway's Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers
“This is exciting,” state secretary Christl Kvam told the Nordic Labour Journal as she debuted at the Nordic ministers’ meeting as a representative for the upcoming Norwegian Presidency.
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