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Bus Drivers’ Strike Begins Today, To Continue All Workweek
As negotiations with management have broken down, bus drivers contracted by public transport company Strætó from Almeningsvagnar Kynnisferðir will be striking today through Friday. As detailed in an announcement from the labour union Efling, routes 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 24,…
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Strike News: Evidence Arises Of Hotel Owners, Bus Companies Strike-Breaking
The Grapevine has been receiving reports from union workers that several hotels and bus companies have been attempting to break today’s strike. These tactics reportedly include misinforming workers, pressuring them to work through the strike day, and intimidating union strike observers. As…
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Reykjavik Area Hotel Workers Go On Strike Tomorrow
The first round of hotel worker strikes begins tomorrow, and the labour union Efling has compiled a handy schedule and FAQ for hotel workers. As reported, there are a number of strike days for Reykjavík for hotel workers scheduled through this month…
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Arbitration Court Rules Work Restrictions Illegal, Strikes Still On Schedule
Iceland’s arbitration court has ruled that work restrictions planned by unions are not legal, but the strikes will move forward as scheduled. Amongst the actions planned by the labour unions Efling and VR this month, apart from regular strikes, certain work restrictions…
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Strike News: Bus Service Will Be Affected, VR On Board To Strike
Workers for the Store and Office Workers’ Union (VR) voted in favour of going on strike, RÚV reports. Voter participation was 60.27%, with 52.25% of those voting in favour of the action. This marks now the second major labour union to vote…
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More Strike Actions Overwhelmingly Approved By Icelandic Tourism Workers
Hotel and bus company workers overwhelmingly approved taking further strike actions, which may begin soon as next week, the union Efling reports. In Iceland, union leadership cannot move forward with any kind of striking activity without the democratic consent of its workers.…
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VIDEO: Striking Icelandic Union Gets Solidarity Statements From Unions Around The World
Efling, the labour union leading a one-day work stoppage today of hotel and guesthouse housekeeping staff, has received solidarity statements from unions in Europe and North America. Copies of these solidarity statements were released to the media from Efling this morning. Amongst…
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Strike Deemed Legal By Courts, Will Begin As Scheduled
A one-day work stoppage of hotel and guesthouse cleaning, housekeeping and laundry services will move forward as planned, as the courts have rejected management’s contentions that the action is illegal. As reported, Efling plans on holding a one-day work stoppage on March…
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Bread And Roses: Iceland’s Labour Struggle In High Gear
Last February, four labour unions— Iceland’s general labourers union Efling, the Store and Office Workers’ Union (VR), the Grindavík Labour Union, and the Akranes Labour Union—announced that collective bargaining talks with management’s Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise (SA) had broken down, and the…
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Icelandic Union Members Vote In Favour Of Work Stoppage, Strikes Pending
Participating members of the labour union Efling voted overwhelmingly in favour of a one-day work stoppage, and more strikes are in the works. As announced on Facebook, out of 862 votes cast, 769 voted in favour of a one-day work stoppage on…
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Icelandic Hotel Says “Little Room” For Pay Rises, Has Profits In The Millions
The managing director of Íslandshótel says there is little room for wage rises, but the company’s profits are reportedly in the hundreds of millions. Davíð Torfi Ólafsson, the managing director of Íslandshótel, expressed with RÚV his frustrations with the current labour movement…
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Company Retracts Rent Hike After Icelandic Union Gets Involved
A rental company poised to impose a sudden rent hike on its tenants has withdrawn the measure after reaching an agreement with the labour union VR. In a joint statement from VR and the rental company in question, Almennaleigufélagið (AL), Kjarninn reports…
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VIDEO: Iceland’s First “Hunger Walk” Highlights Workers’ Rights
(Video: Art Bicnick) Between 300 and 400 people attended a protest demonstration in front of Parliament last Saturday, in defense of Iceland’s lowest paid workers. The demonstration, called “The Hunger Walk” (“Hungurgangan”), was a confluence of many different groups, including the Socialist…
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Voting Begins On Work Stoppage In Iceland
Voting began today on a one-day work stoppage for workers in the Efling labour union, with votes cast both online and by a vehicle visiting workplaces. As reported, Efling plans on holding a one-day work stoppage on March 8, which will “apply…
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One-Day, Widespread Work Stoppage In Iceland Could Be Two Weeks Away
The Efling labour union will soon vote on a widespread one-day work stoppage that would affect housekeeping at hotels and guesthouses around the capital area, the union has announced. The announcement comes on the heels of an impending massive strike that, while…
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Massive Strike In The Works In Iceland
Collective bargainging negotiations between unions and management have broken down, and preparations are now underway to strike. The vast majority of workers in one of these unions have already indicated that they view going on strike favourably. According to an announcement from…
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One Of Iceland’s Largest Labour Unions Ready To Strike If Necessary
The results of a new Gallup poll show that the vast majority of members of the Efling trade union are willing to go on strike if need be. The director of Efling has said the union is prepared for that eventuality should…
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Icelandic Labour Union Draws From Experience In New York To Help Restaurant Workers
Tomorrow, the Efling labour union will be hosting a free talk, where organisers from the US will recount their experiences with restaurant workers in New York, in the hopes that workers and organisers alike in Iceland can draw from their lessons. The…
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Union Says Management Counteroffer “Cuts To Our Wages And Conditions”
Efling, one of Iceland’s largest labour unions, has sharply criticised management’s proposed counteroffers, saying they actually undermine worker’s rights. Union representatives from Efling, VR, The Akranes Labour Union and the Grindavík Labour Union are currently in arbitration with the Confederation of Icelandic…
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Vast Majority Of Icelanders Ready To Go On Strike
74% of Icelanders say that the conditions in the labour market justify the use of the strike in order to improve the quality of life for all workers, a new poll from Market and Media Research (MMR) shows. In a recent interview,…
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Management Reluctantly Warming Up To Raising Minimum Wage In Iceland
With what looks to be shaping up to be a hard collective bargaining fight ahead, the managing director of the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise (SA) appears ready to make some concessions, albeit conditionally. The current minimum wage in Iceland is 300,000 ISK,…
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We Can Do Better: Anna Marjankowska Wants To Fight For Your Rights
Anna Marjankowska has a lot of irons in the fire. She’s doing extensive work at Andrými, a volunteer-run community activist centre, applying for her PhD, and working part time. But she also happens to be one of the board members of Efling,…
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Icelandic Labour Union Offers Free Event To Help Foreign Workers Know Their Rights
Efling, one of Iceland’s largest labour unions and to a large extent comprised of foreign workers, will be holding an event tomorrow to discuss work conditions in hotels and restaurants—trades that have dominated worker grievances of wage theft. The event, entitled “Is…