ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we will discuss the contested regulation of temporary work agencies (TWA) with a particular focus on how trade unions and employers have called for the liberalization or regulation of the industry. We argue that the contestation of TWA employment has been vital in shaping and reshaping the strong Norwegian version of the standard employment relationship. This will be analysed in a historical and contextual manner, paying particular attention to how the contested regulation reflects both the stabilization and destabilization of the standard employment relationship in Norway. We will address the question through a historical and contemporary account of political arguments in a way that highlights Norwegian contextual conditions and the way in which the TWA industry has challenged the pillars of the Nordic model of working life.
