The Confederacy of Icelandic Labor Unions (ASÍ) has expressed a great deal of displeasure with the Icelandic government, over what they see as a lack of initiative in job creation.
Meeting yesterday to prepare a collective bargaining agreement for the winter – typically negotiated between themselves, the Confederacy of Icelandic Employers, and the government – union officials told RÚV that the next collective bargaining agreement is going to be a difficult one.
Some union officials went so far as to say the government has reached its end, and gets a failing grade. The major complaint being that the government has not done enough to stem unemployment and create new jobs.
ASÍ vice chairperson Ingibjörg R. Guðmundsdóttir told reporters that divisiveness between the two parties of the ruling coalition – the Social Democrats and the Leftist-Greens – has delayed necessary changes to employment development in Iceland, while the unions have expressed every willingness to be cooperative and supportive of new ideas.
While there are many signs that the economy is improving, including a decline in unemployment, the decline is apparently not been happening fast enough for the unions.