Greenland is tied to Denmark and receives financing from it. But important local interests want it to attain independence and pay for it with the proceeds from mining its mineral resources. A proposed new law would allow exceptions to the minimum wage laws for large industrial projects.
On February 8, the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten wrote that the new law would lead to wage dumping and that it hoped Greenland’s parliamentary election on March 12 would bring about a change of plan.
“If the newly elected regional parliament in Greenland pushes through the law, the [Danish] parliament could face Greenland with the choice: either full independence including no more support from Danish tax money, or Greenland must accept working conditions that up to now had no place in the Danish Realm. Greenland’s flirtation with Chinese interests shows clearly that in its pursuit of riches Greenland may be willing to disregard the basic rules of the labour market. Would the Danish government be willing to see Greenland become a Chinese labour camp?”
Eric Koch’s new book, The Golden Years: Five Stories, was launched on Saturday, March 16. The book is available from the 
