A View from the Ranks of Efling Jacob Barker skrifar 24. janúar 2023 14:31 In a recent interview with mbl.is, the secretary of Efling, Ólöf Helga Adolfsdóttir, said that people are willing “to blindly follow” the union’s chairman, Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir. I found this statement quite frustrating, because according to my experience, Sólveig Anna is one of the only public figures in Iceland who seems to understand and honestly assess the current struggles of the lowest-paid workers. We can all see for ourselves, if we bother to look, that Sólveig has been consistent in her messaging and steadfast in her service to the union’s members. Most of us do see what Sólveig has accomplished with the union, and indeed, we want to see more of it. This enthusiasm was clear to me through Sólveig’s re-election to the position of Chairman amid a media smear-campaign against her, and while working with her and others on strike actions after the last negotiations failed. Here's what most fail to see: blaming Sólveig for either the perceived faults or the successes of Efling as a union looks past what I believe to be the most important reason she has so much support: She is organizing the union democratically to encourage workers' participation in claiming their own power. The negotiation committee met over twenty times before talks were formally cut and everyone has seen the interest and enthusiasm of the membership in our project at the meetings with the state negotiator and SA. Efling stands united. The game is rigged Here’s what else I see, from my perspective as a U.S. American immigrant here in Iceland since 2016: Most of the time I have been employed in Iceland, I was not paid in accordance with union contracts and standards, nor was I paid according to my actual experience level (I have an open claim against one company from 2019 …still waiting). Wage theft accounts for more total theft than all other forms of stealing combined and yet there is no effective recourse for workers who have been robbed blind by their employers. I see more and more foreign workers arriving to an impossible housing situation while hotels rise on every corner and private rentals turn profits with hardly any regulation to speak of. I see the unending epidemic of young men dying here while the city government discusses construction of a sporting arena. It sure does make me feel right back at home again – not in a good way. Union culture is a strong tool By the way, my home in the U.S. is Asheville, North Carolina. A friend recently established the first union in that city for workers in the vast bar industry. I myself only had the privilege of union membership for the first time in my life when I arrived to Iceland. I see here what a colossal difference strong union culture can make in the struggle for workers to just get a bit of relief from the grind and also have their interests actually represented. We should not take the privilege for granted, because it won’t surprise me if the long game here by those who would be pleased to see less worker power is weakening of the unions to such a degree that they are no longer effective or can be dismantled. Solidarity with striking workers everywhere and every time is the best and most basic way to ensure that doesn’t happen. We are sure of our vision and we know what's best for us I also see the establishment media becoming absolutely obsessed with the Chairman of Efling and going to every inconceivable length to assassinate her character and pretend that she is “bad” for workers and her own union. All these claims (just like the suggestion of Ólöf’s that Efling’s members aren’t intelligent enough to see for ourselves and draw conclusions) are offensive to me as a member of Efling and as someone who supports Sólveig Anna’s leadership, because they attempt to invalidate my own agency and autonomy, my own good judgement and intuition, as a worker and active union member. As if the other trade union leaders are hitting us over the head with their signed contracts shouting, “This is for your own good!” Let's stand together The chairman of Efling has the support of the members, as evidenced by two fair elections. She is simply doing her job and, in my opinion, doing it well. As I said to someone online recently regarding the debate about cost of living in the capital area: Don’t get upset that Efling is demanding more and consider instead putting pressure on your own union to do the same! Efling is not the bad guy for recognizing that workers need and deserve more, especially during years of record profits for the largest and most powerful business interests – and Efling is not the bad guy for organizing and acting accordingly. Finally, I see that all these obstacles, all of the unfounded claims and insults to both Sólveig and the members of Efling, are clear indications that we are doing well, perhaps better than some might have imagined. Áfram Efling! Höfundur er innflytjandi og meðlimur Eflingar. Viltu birta grein á Vísi? Sendu okkur póst. Senda grein Ólga innan Eflingar Stéttarfélög Kjaramál Kjaraviðræður 2022-23 Mest lesið Hörmulegur atburður í flugstöð Leifs Eiríkssonar Jón Pétursson Skoðun Forstjórinn stígur fram Örn Pálsson Skoðun Lífsgæði íbúa Mosfellsbæjar skert Regína Ásvaldsdóttir Skoðun Börnin á Gaza eru ekki í fríi Bjarni Fritzson,Blær Guðmundsdóttir ,Elías Rúni Þorsteinsson,Elísabet Thoroddsen,Gunnar Helgason,Linda Ólafsdóttir,Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir,Yrsa Þöll Gylfadóttir Skoðun Uppbygging í Grafarvogi eflir hverfið og mætir húsnæðiskrísunni á skynsaman hátt Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir Skoðun Eiga ellilífeyrir og örorkubætur að fylgja launavísitölu? Haukur Arnþórsson Skoðun Tilvera okkar er undarlegt ferðalag Hópur meðlima No Borders Skoðun Brimrót og veðragnýr í alþjóðamálum Árni Þór Sigurðsson Skoðun Nennið þið plís blessaða ríkisstjórn! Derek T. Allen Skoðun Mannréttindi fatlaðs fólks - orð og efndir Unnur Helga Óttarsdóttir,Alma Ýr Ingólfsdóttir Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Karlar, piltar og strákar Jón Pétur Zimsen skrifar Skoðun Eiga ellilífeyrir og örorkubætur að fylgja launavísitölu? Haukur Arnþórsson skrifar Skoðun Ísland verður að vernda hafið og fiskimiðin frá námuvinnslu á hafsbotni Laura Sólveig Lefort Scheefer,Þorgerður María Þorbjarnardóttir,Árni Finnsson,Sæunn Júlía Sigurjónsdóttir,Belén García Ovide,Huld Hafliðadóttir skrifar Skoðun Nennið þið plís blessaða ríkisstjórn! Derek T. Allen skrifar Skoðun Ertu klár? Jakob Smári Magnússon skrifar Skoðun Kengúrur eða Þorskar: Hver forritar framtíð Íslands? Björgmundur Örn Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Börnin á Gaza eru ekki í fríi Bjarni Fritzson,Blær Guðmundsdóttir ,Elías Rúni Þorsteinsson,Elísabet Thoroddsen,Gunnar Helgason,Linda Ólafsdóttir,Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir,Yrsa Þöll Gylfadóttir skrifar Skoðun Mannréttindi fatlaðs fólks - orð og efndir Unnur Helga Óttarsdóttir,Alma Ýr Ingólfsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Brimrót og veðragnýr í alþjóðamálum Árni Þór Sigurðsson skrifar Skoðun Forstjórinn stígur fram Örn Pálsson skrifar Skoðun Lífsgæði íbúa Mosfellsbæjar skert Regína Ásvaldsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Lestur lykillinn að endurhæfingu? Hvað ef lestur væri lykillinn út? Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson skrifar Skoðun Tilvera okkar er undarlegt ferðalag Hópur meðlima No Borders skrifar Skoðun Uppbygging í Grafarvogi eflir hverfið og mætir húsnæðiskrísunni á skynsaman hátt Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Það að þrá börn eða ekki Matthildur Björnsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Tímanna tákn? Hólmgeir Baldursson skrifar Skoðun Hörmulegur atburður í flugstöð Leifs Eiríkssonar Jón Pétursson skrifar Skoðun Kvótaverð, veiðigjald, fjárfesting og arðsemi í sjávarútvegi Ásgeir Daníelsson skrifar Skoðun Getur Seljaskóli núna orðið símalaus skóli, Jóhanna? Kristín Jónsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Gagnsæi og traust á raforkumarkaði Einar S Einarsson skrifar Skoðun Ef þetta er rétt – hvað er þá rangt? Anna Berg Samúelsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Hvað er þetta MG? Júlíana Magnúsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Sjúkraþyrlu sem allra fyrst, kerfi sem veitir lífsbjörg Gunnar Svanur Einarsson skrifar Skoðun Ríkisstofnun forherðist við gagnrýni Björn Ólafsson skrifar Skoðun Bylting, bóla, bölvun - bull? Brynjólfur Þorvarðsson skrifar Skoðun Eru smáþjóðir stikkfríar? Snæbjörn Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Ákall Valdimar Júlíusson skrifar Skoðun Á að leyfa eða halda áfram að banna? Sigurður G. Guðjónsson skrifar Skoðun Íslenski fáninn fyrir samstöðu ekki mismunun Ása Berglind Hjálmarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Jafnlaunabarnið og baðvatnið Helga Sigrún Harðardóttir skrifar Sjá meira
In a recent interview with mbl.is, the secretary of Efling, Ólöf Helga Adolfsdóttir, said that people are willing “to blindly follow” the union’s chairman, Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir. I found this statement quite frustrating, because according to my experience, Sólveig Anna is one of the only public figures in Iceland who seems to understand and honestly assess the current struggles of the lowest-paid workers. We can all see for ourselves, if we bother to look, that Sólveig has been consistent in her messaging and steadfast in her service to the union’s members. Most of us do see what Sólveig has accomplished with the union, and indeed, we want to see more of it. This enthusiasm was clear to me through Sólveig’s re-election to the position of Chairman amid a media smear-campaign against her, and while working with her and others on strike actions after the last negotiations failed. Here's what most fail to see: blaming Sólveig for either the perceived faults or the successes of Efling as a union looks past what I believe to be the most important reason she has so much support: She is organizing the union democratically to encourage workers' participation in claiming their own power. The negotiation committee met over twenty times before talks were formally cut and everyone has seen the interest and enthusiasm of the membership in our project at the meetings with the state negotiator and SA. Efling stands united. The game is rigged Here’s what else I see, from my perspective as a U.S. American immigrant here in Iceland since 2016: Most of the time I have been employed in Iceland, I was not paid in accordance with union contracts and standards, nor was I paid according to my actual experience level (I have an open claim against one company from 2019 …still waiting). Wage theft accounts for more total theft than all other forms of stealing combined and yet there is no effective recourse for workers who have been robbed blind by their employers. I see more and more foreign workers arriving to an impossible housing situation while hotels rise on every corner and private rentals turn profits with hardly any regulation to speak of. I see the unending epidemic of young men dying here while the city government discusses construction of a sporting arena. It sure does make me feel right back at home again – not in a good way. Union culture is a strong tool By the way, my home in the U.S. is Asheville, North Carolina. A friend recently established the first union in that city for workers in the vast bar industry. I myself only had the privilege of union membership for the first time in my life when I arrived to Iceland. I see here what a colossal difference strong union culture can make in the struggle for workers to just get a bit of relief from the grind and also have their interests actually represented. We should not take the privilege for granted, because it won’t surprise me if the long game here by those who would be pleased to see less worker power is weakening of the unions to such a degree that they are no longer effective or can be dismantled. Solidarity with striking workers everywhere and every time is the best and most basic way to ensure that doesn’t happen. We are sure of our vision and we know what's best for us I also see the establishment media becoming absolutely obsessed with the Chairman of Efling and going to every inconceivable length to assassinate her character and pretend that she is “bad” for workers and her own union. All these claims (just like the suggestion of Ólöf’s that Efling’s members aren’t intelligent enough to see for ourselves and draw conclusions) are offensive to me as a member of Efling and as someone who supports Sólveig Anna’s leadership, because they attempt to invalidate my own agency and autonomy, my own good judgement and intuition, as a worker and active union member. As if the other trade union leaders are hitting us over the head with their signed contracts shouting, “This is for your own good!” Let's stand together The chairman of Efling has the support of the members, as evidenced by two fair elections. She is simply doing her job and, in my opinion, doing it well. As I said to someone online recently regarding the debate about cost of living in the capital area: Don’t get upset that Efling is demanding more and consider instead putting pressure on your own union to do the same! Efling is not the bad guy for recognizing that workers need and deserve more, especially during years of record profits for the largest and most powerful business interests – and Efling is not the bad guy for organizing and acting accordingly. Finally, I see that all these obstacles, all of the unfounded claims and insults to both Sólveig and the members of Efling, are clear indications that we are doing well, perhaps better than some might have imagined. Áfram Efling! Höfundur er innflytjandi og meðlimur Eflingar.
Börnin á Gaza eru ekki í fríi Bjarni Fritzson,Blær Guðmundsdóttir ,Elías Rúni Þorsteinsson,Elísabet Thoroddsen,Gunnar Helgason,Linda Ólafsdóttir,Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir,Yrsa Þöll Gylfadóttir Skoðun
Uppbygging í Grafarvogi eflir hverfið og mætir húsnæðiskrísunni á skynsaman hátt Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir Skoðun
Skoðun Ísland verður að vernda hafið og fiskimiðin frá námuvinnslu á hafsbotni Laura Sólveig Lefort Scheefer,Þorgerður María Þorbjarnardóttir,Árni Finnsson,Sæunn Júlía Sigurjónsdóttir,Belén García Ovide,Huld Hafliðadóttir skrifar
Skoðun Börnin á Gaza eru ekki í fríi Bjarni Fritzson,Blær Guðmundsdóttir ,Elías Rúni Þorsteinsson,Elísabet Thoroddsen,Gunnar Helgason,Linda Ólafsdóttir,Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir,Yrsa Þöll Gylfadóttir skrifar
Skoðun Mannréttindi fatlaðs fólks - orð og efndir Unnur Helga Óttarsdóttir,Alma Ýr Ingólfsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Lestur lykillinn að endurhæfingu? Hvað ef lestur væri lykillinn út? Guðmundur Ingi Þóroddsson skrifar
Skoðun Uppbygging í Grafarvogi eflir hverfið og mætir húsnæðiskrísunni á skynsaman hátt Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir skrifar
Börnin á Gaza eru ekki í fríi Bjarni Fritzson,Blær Guðmundsdóttir ,Elías Rúni Þorsteinsson,Elísabet Thoroddsen,Gunnar Helgason,Linda Ólafsdóttir,Lóa Hlín Hjálmtýsdóttir,Yrsa Þöll Gylfadóttir Skoðun
Uppbygging í Grafarvogi eflir hverfið og mætir húsnæðiskrísunni á skynsaman hátt Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir Skoðun