For a Unified Efling, Lead by Workers Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson skrifar 15. febrúar 2022 08:00 I have wanted to participate in a union ever since I began working in my home country, the USA. As a worker in the USA, I had to negotiate contracts by myself, and watch as salaries, benefits, and free time declined due to right-wing and neoliberal governments and the unchecked power of capital. I longed for the collective bargaining power of the pre-McCarthy era. I first met Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir in 2020 when I showed up with other Efling members at Iðnó to make a sign and march into City Hall on strike. It was invigorating, like living a history book. Not only was inspiring, it also brought meaningful concrete results. In the negotiations with Reykjavík City, Efling members gained a far better contract due to strong leadership and member unity than would otherwise have been obtained. In the last weeks, there has been one breathless hit piece after the other in the media from the perspective of the opponents of the B-list. Curiously, these are largely the staff of Efling and other unions – if they are not nameless, that is. But what I haven’t seen is an interview with a member of the union itself, a dues-paying working class person. I’ve also seen in these articles an implied condescension, removing the agency of the working class members that endorse Sólveig Anna repeatedly. Unfortunately, we live in a class based society. Workers need a leadership that understands the nature of class division, that can pull in more people to participate, and who understands how to make bold demands and then achieve them. Sólveig Anna is not the only person on earth with these skills, but she is the only one running for chair of Efling. I have seen with my own eyes what can be achieved with capable and passionate leadership with unified mass backing. The Battle List, which I am proud to be part of, wants to continue to build our union in this direction: firm leadership closely followed by active rank-and-file members. I stand with Sólveig Anna, her agenda, and I’m proud to be part of the Battle List! Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson is an Efling member and is running for the Battle List (the B-list) along with Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir. Viltu birta grein á Vísi? Sendu okkur póst. Senda grein Ólga innan Eflingar Stéttarfélög Mest lesið Halldór 23.8.2025 Halldór Heildstætt heilbrigðiskerfi – hagur okkar allra Alma D. Möller Skoðun Vanþekking eða vísvitandi blekkingar? Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson Skoðun „I believe the children are our future…“ Karen Rúnarsdóttir Skoðun Andaðu rólega elskan... Ester Hilmarsdóttir Skoðun Skólaskætingur Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir Skoðun Er Akureyri að missa háskólann sinn? Aðalbjörn Jóhannsson Skoðun Ég vildi óska þess að ég hefði hreinlega fengið krabbamein Íris Elfa Þorkelsdóttir Skoðun Eldri borgarar – áhrif aðildar að Evrópusambandinu (ESB) Þorvaldur Ingi Jónsson Skoðun Þéttingarstefnan hefur brugðist og Dóra breytir um umræðuefni Aðalsteinn Haukur Sverrisson Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Heildstætt heilbrigðiskerfi – hagur okkar allra Alma D. Möller skrifar Skoðun Vanþekking eða vísvitandi blekkingar? Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun „I believe the children are our future…“ Karen Rúnarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Mikilvægi félagasamtaka og magnað maraþon Þuríður Harpa Sigurðardóttir skrifar Skoðun Allt sem ég þarf að gera Dagbjartur Kristjánsson skrifar Skoðun Eldri borgarar – áhrif aðildar að Evrópusambandinu (ESB) Þorvaldur Ingi Jónsson skrifar Skoðun Meiri gæði og mun minni álögur - Hveragerðisleiðin í leikskólamálum Jóhanna Ýr Jóhannsdóttir,Sandra Sigurðardóttir,Dagný Sif Sigurbjörnsdóttir,Halldór Benjamín Hreinsson,Njörður Sigurðsson skrifar Skoðun Reykjavíkurborg stígur fyrsta skrefið í snjallvæðingu umferðarljósa! Einar Sveinbjörn Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Framtíðin í fyrsta sæti – mikilvægi forgangsröðunar á tillögum Kópavogsbæjar í grunnskólamálum Sigrún Ólöf Ingólfsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Notkun ökklabanda Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson skrifar Skoðun Skólaskætingur Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir skrifar Skoðun Þéttingarstefnan hefur brugðist og Dóra breytir um umræðuefni Aðalsteinn Haukur Sverrisson skrifar Skoðun Ný sókn í menntamálum Guðmundur Ari Sigurjónsson skrifar Skoðun Þjóðarmorð, fálmandi mjálm eða aðgerðir? Viðar Hreinsson skrifar Skoðun Vin í eyðimörkinni – almenningsbókasöfn borgarinnar Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir skrifar Skoðun Er Akureyri að missa háskólann sinn? Aðalbjörn Jóhannsson skrifar Skoðun Tíu staðreyndir um alvarlegustu kvenréttindakrísu heims Stella Samúelsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Ég vildi óska þess að ég hefði hreinlega fengið krabbamein Íris Elfa Þorkelsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Mestu aularnir í Vetrarbrautinni Kári Helgason skrifar Skoðun Fjárfestum í fyrsta bekk, frekar en fangelsum Hjördís Eva Þórðardóttir skrifar Skoðun Eftirlíking vitundar og hætturnar sem henni fylgja Þorsteinn Siglaugsson skrifar Skoðun Andaðu rólega elskan... Ester Hilmarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Gagnvirkni líkama og vitundar til heilbrigðis Þórdís Hólm Filipsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Nýjar lausnir í kennslu – gamlar hindranir Bogi Ragnarsson skrifar Skoðun Kópavogsleiðinn Ragnar Þór Pétursson skrifar Skoðun Samstarf sem skilar raunverulegum loftslagsaðgerðum Nótt Thorberg skrifar Skoðun Lærum að lesa og reikna Jón Pétur Zimsen skrifar Skoðun Loforðið sem borgarstjóri gleymdi Magnea Gná Jóhannsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Kristrún, það er bannað að plata Snorri Másson skrifar Skoðun Öndunaræfingar í boði SFS Vala Árnadóttir skrifar Sjá meira
I have wanted to participate in a union ever since I began working in my home country, the USA. As a worker in the USA, I had to negotiate contracts by myself, and watch as salaries, benefits, and free time declined due to right-wing and neoliberal governments and the unchecked power of capital. I longed for the collective bargaining power of the pre-McCarthy era. I first met Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir in 2020 when I showed up with other Efling members at Iðnó to make a sign and march into City Hall on strike. It was invigorating, like living a history book. Not only was inspiring, it also brought meaningful concrete results. In the negotiations with Reykjavík City, Efling members gained a far better contract due to strong leadership and member unity than would otherwise have been obtained. In the last weeks, there has been one breathless hit piece after the other in the media from the perspective of the opponents of the B-list. Curiously, these are largely the staff of Efling and other unions – if they are not nameless, that is. But what I haven’t seen is an interview with a member of the union itself, a dues-paying working class person. I’ve also seen in these articles an implied condescension, removing the agency of the working class members that endorse Sólveig Anna repeatedly. Unfortunately, we live in a class based society. Workers need a leadership that understands the nature of class division, that can pull in more people to participate, and who understands how to make bold demands and then achieve them. Sólveig Anna is not the only person on earth with these skills, but she is the only one running for chair of Efling. I have seen with my own eyes what can be achieved with capable and passionate leadership with unified mass backing. The Battle List, which I am proud to be part of, wants to continue to build our union in this direction: firm leadership closely followed by active rank-and-file members. I stand with Sólveig Anna, her agenda, and I’m proud to be part of the Battle List! Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson is an Efling member and is running for the Battle List (the B-list) along with Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir.
Skoðun Meiri gæði og mun minni álögur - Hveragerðisleiðin í leikskólamálum Jóhanna Ýr Jóhannsdóttir,Sandra Sigurðardóttir,Dagný Sif Sigurbjörnsdóttir,Halldór Benjamín Hreinsson,Njörður Sigurðsson skrifar
Skoðun Reykjavíkurborg stígur fyrsta skrefið í snjallvæðingu umferðarljósa! Einar Sveinbjörn Guðmundsson skrifar
Skoðun Framtíðin í fyrsta sæti – mikilvægi forgangsröðunar á tillögum Kópavogsbæjar í grunnskólamálum Sigrún Ólöf Ingólfsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Þéttingarstefnan hefur brugðist og Dóra breytir um umræðuefni Aðalsteinn Haukur Sverrisson skrifar