Workplace Representation within Fennoscandinavia. : A comparative study of the Nordic and the Swedish models.

Abstract: The focus of this paper is based in comparative law between four countries. Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Specifically how each of them handle workplace representation, both within the field of safety/wellbeing of the employees and the field of union work. The findings within this paper is that each country have very similar rules regarding safety officers, skyddsombud in Swedish. However each country have taken their own path in the field of unions. Sweden and Finland choose to regulate the relationships between the union and employer representatives while Norway and Denmark leave it to the two to get along without interference. Denmark, Finland and Norway have basic collective agreements, while Sweden only regulate through law or the collective agreement each workplace agrees to themselves. Finland uniquely creates ways for the employees to circumvent the unions.