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?”
A Chinese labour camp seems a bit extreme. Danish and EU work rules are one reason Europe is a mess. Maybe the paper is mourning the passing of Denmark’s overseas power.
This was the paper that published the Muhammad cartoons, whatever that says, if anything, about this issue.
One could argue that the Danish and Eu work rules are the reason Europe is a mess. I can think of many reasons why the Eu is a mess one of it is tax evasion. Actually, the countries with the best work rules in the EU are bailing out the ones with the worst work rules.
There may be a difference between overly rigid labour laws e.g. one can never fire anyone (so one is very reluctant to hire), on the one hand, and basic minimum wage levels on the other. Just what exemptions are being proposed?
I see no connection whatever to the publication of the Muhammed cartoons and the credibility of the story, except that the publisher may be willing to defy what is politically correct - at this point encouraging Chinese resource development may fall into that category.
There is no mention of why Greenland would become a “Chinese labour camp” - are the exceptions in minimum wage so that China can import its own labour force (as it has in Africa, and is trying to do in a BC mine development?) Since I am sure the Chinese would argue there are no native Greenland miners trained to whatever they are up to…
As much as I like reading Eric’s Sketches, I still find time to read other things. I am especially interested in the EU problem. Apparently, Spain has changed its labour laws. An employer can fire workers for any reason. The result has been lower wages, but not a creation of employment, but instead unemployment has increased.