Theme
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The changes hidden behind the smokescreen
As the Iron Curtain came down, contacts between the Nordic region and Russia multiplied. Yet the image of the Eastern neighbour needs updating, even in the part of the Nordic region which has enjoyed the friendliest relationship – the Norwegian municipality of Sør-Varanger on the border with Russia. The nickel plant across the border has…
5 minutes
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Russian Arcady’s weekly commute to Finland
Many travel the 400 kilometres between Helsinki and St Petersburg on business. Yet despite improved communications, a common labour market still is some time away.
4 minutes
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Visa-free travel between Russia and the EU – what will happen?
Most people in the Nordic countries take it for granted that they can travel abroad without the need for a visa. It’s only needed for exotic destinations – or Russia. And Moscow uses every opportunity to bring the issue up with the EU.
2 minutes -
Danish Activation Centres provide link to working life
There’s no better place to train for working life than in a workplace. That’s the basic idea of Denmark’s new Activation Centres. They work with the most challenging group of unemployed people, yet results are good. David Andersen is supported by his mentor Tina Andersen at the Kvickly supermarket.
6 minutes
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OECD: the most exposed young must get help now
“If we want to avoid a generation of unemployed, it’s time to help the most exposed to get jobs or education. In the long term we need structural measures to improve the basic system,” says Stefano Scarpetta, the OECD’s deputy director for employment, labour and social affairs.
6 minutes -
IMF and ILO: young people at greater risk now than during previous crisis
The current economic crisis has hit young people harder than previous crisis. Youth unemployment usually rises fast in an economic downturn, but this time it has risen by 6.5 percent compared to an average 4 percent during earlier downturns.
3 minutes -
Theme: Extending a helping hand to the jobless
Youth need to get back into jobs or education, or else we risk loosing a generation. It is therefore imperative to create job rich growth. We need to act now, and we need to help the weakest ones in the labour market first. That was the message when ILO and IMF and then the OECD,…
1 minute
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Hard to export Nordic trust
The Nordic model is usually described as a social system with strong unions and employers’ organisations, an active state and a generous welfare system. But one cultural trait makes the model hard to export. People in the Nordic region tend to invest a whole lot of trust in each other.
4 minutes
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Dictates from politicians trigger crisis of trust
More and more important decisions are being made by politicians away from the parties to the labour market. Now experts fear a crisis of trust which will undermine the basis of the Danish model, which is based on negotiated agreements between state, employers and employees.
4 minutes -
Swedish Metall on trusting the adversary
“What you absolutely must not do during wage negotiations is to lie. You don’t have to put all your cards on the table, but if you lie you loose all trust.”
3 minutes