Precarity in Nordic working life?

Abstract

This chapter discusses the relevance of the concept of ‘precarity’, understood as work conditioned by a lack of security and predictability, in a Nordic context, and links precariousness to both formal work arrangements and to experiences of insecurity. How is precarization of employment expressed in Norway and Denmark? Is the Nordic model resilient to precarization? Framing the discussion in a global perspective, comparable international statistics on frequently used measures of precariousness confirm the image of the Nordic countries as top class. The Nordic model of cooperation between the state, strong employers’ associations and relatively strong employee unions is often credited as the reason. However, we argue that the Nordic model is continuously subject to renegotiation. Decreasing union density, increasing individualization, increasing inequality and the consequent polarization of working life pose real possibilities of precarization of work in the Nordic countries as well.