Collective bargaining 2019

What’s going on with the strikes?

On Wednesday evening, strikes in hotels and bus companies were called off with just a few hours’ notice. They were scheduled to start at midnight and last through Thursday and Friday. The reason for the strikes being called off was that, after six months of negotiations and two single-day strike actions by Efling, the employers’ cartel has finally presented a serious basis for talks, which is now being discussed. Nothing has been signed yet, except Read more…

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On the mass layoffs of Kynnisferðir

Efling regrets the mass layoffs of 59 workers at Kynnisferðir. The bulk of them are bus drivers who work under the Efling collective agreement. The union has kept a close eye on how the case proceeds and taken care that the rights of the union’s members are upheld, such as their rights to union activism. Union members have precedence to the jobs, which means they can not be laid off before other staff in the Read more…

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Strike March 28-29 cancelled: Limited but significant progress

Efling – union has cancelled its call to strike on March 28 and 29, which were due to start in a few hours. Efling cancels the strikes in light of a new basis for talks, which has now been presented on behalf of the employers’ association, SA. This turn of events took place in the state mediator’s office in the late afternoon. Other parts of the planned strikes are still going ahead. The next set Read more…

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Bus strike on March 28-29: Information

Update: Strike March 28-29 cancelled There is a strike in bus companies in the capital area and its surroundings on Thursday and Friday, for 48 hours in total. Bus drivers who are members in Efling are called on to protect the strike. The strike will be protected in two shifts, one starting at 2am and the other at 7am on each day. To enlist for strike patrolling and to apply for strike pay, you come to the offices Read more…

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Strikes in hotels, March 28-29

Update: Strike March 28-29 cancelled There are strikes in hotels again on Thursday and Friday. The single-day strike on March 22 put pressure, but hasn’t resulted in a serious offer. Therefore, we are continuing with our strike plan in hotels and bus companies. If you are in Efling or VR, and you work in a hotel listed below, you go on strike. It does not matter whether you voted or which department you work in, or whether the hotel Read more…

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Ingólfur and the strike

Efling staff have repeatedly been subjected to harassment by Ingólfur Haraldsson, the hotel manager of Hilton Nordica, in their dealings with the hotel in recent weeks. He has responded to reasonable requests with rudeness and today laid hands on a union staffer. Today, one of six pickets of hotel workers on strike was to depart from Nordica, which is part of the international Hilton chain. Ingólfur greeted the group and told them to get off Read more…

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Strike information for buses, Friday, March 22

If you are in Efling or VR, and you work in a bus company (except Strætó buses), you go on strike. It does not matter whether you voted or which department you work in, or whether the company pays you as a contractor. It doesn’t even matter if you are registered in the wrong union – the strike applies to everyone working Efling or VR jobs in bus companies. The only exceptions are top managers Read more…

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Strikes in hotels

What is happening? Hotel workers in Efling – union have voted on a strike. Over 90% agreed. This means there is a legal strike starting Friday, March 22. (Work restrictions, supposed to start on March 18, have been ruled illegal.) Why do we strike? Hotels have made a lot of money in recent years, but still the working conditions and pay of workers are unacceptable. There is disrespect of workers and of their rights. This Read more…

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Greyline boss: employees will earn more, work shorter hours, spend more time with their families

In a statement published on Vísir, Þórir Garðarsson, a board member for Greyline, one of the largest tourism companies in Iceland, describes how “flexibilization” of working time will lead to greater freedom from work, better rates and shorter working hours. He claims that the last summer brought a real tourist boom, and that there is more work than ever for the sector. Yet, we work longer and harder, which necessitates Þórir  to craft a simple Read more…

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