News

  • Targeted measures for the unemployed

    By giving the jobless the ‘right and duty’ to work, the Danish government has managed to bring unemployment figures down. But, in a new reform, the Danish Minister of Labour recognises that compulsory activation in recent years has gone too far.

    3 minutes

  • Norwegian partnership for an inclusive workplace

    An “intention agreement for an inclusive workplace” was reached between the government and the Norwegian social partners at the beginning of October. Over the next four years, the parties will work actively towards reducing absenteeism by 20 %, getting more disabled people into work and encouraging people to stay working for longer. The agreement will…

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    3 minutes

  • Equality Gives Way to Market Forces

    Two male social advisors, newly appointed to the County Administrative Board in Malmö, were given salaries in excess of those earned by their incumbent female colleagues. In a judgement issued by the Swedish Labour Court on 23 May, this difference was attributable solely to market forces and not in any way gender discriminating.

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    1 minute

  • Head-hunters to help Longterm Unemployed

    Expert group proposes new models to meet labour market demands: “We believe that improving the function of the labour market and ensuring the availability of labour will be key factors in the next few years. This policy line includes the provision of some additional services for more hard-to-place applicants by ‘head-hunters’,” says Heikki Räisänen, an…

    2 minutes

  • A Big Step for Equal Wages

    In April this year a new agreement was struck between the two biggest unions in Reykjavik and the municipality. The agreement will bring about a radical change in wage structures and form the basis for the evaluation of all jobs.

    3 minutes

  • Responses by vocational guidance psychologists to unconscious expectations

    It is easy to believe that counselling and guidance are rational, cognitive and conscious activities and forget the unconscious aspects of these tasks. This research, however, proved that the transferences of the clients and, perhaps especially the countertransferences of the psychologists, should be taken into consideration, if our aim is to improve the quality and…

    3 minutes

  • Nordic Council takes up the fight against illegal workers

    The Nordic countries are to set up control systems to fight and expose companies using illegal workers, according to a decision taken by the Nordic Council at its session in Copenhagen.

    1 minute

  • Fierce debate about Norwegian sickness benefit

    The costs of sick pay and sickness pension in Norway have increased dramatically in recent years and correspond to half the income from the oil pumped out of the North Sea. This is worrying in consideration of not only the costs but also the drain on manpower.

    3 minutes

  • A Nordic strategy for maintaining a supply of labour?

    As with the rest of Europe, the labour force in the Nordic countries will change in the future. There is a great risk of a future lack of manpower. Therefore discussions will start between politicians and the social partners regarding future manpower requirements. The challenge is to find strategies that cover future manpower needs, without…

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    3 minutes

  • Nordic PESs cooperate effectively – but continued obstacles to a true common labour market

    «The public employment services (PESs) in the Nordic countries cooperate effectively when employers are looking for labour from neighbouring countries. Contacts are made easily and trustfully, and are based on confidence and familiarity. » So says international director Peter R. Myklebust, of the Norwegian Directorate of Labour.

    4 minutes