Union representatives from the city’s workplaces today handed to the mayor of Reykjavík a petition for the city to conclude negotiations with its staff. Lists of signatures have circulated in workplaces and almost 1000 signatures were obtained.Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson welcomed the group and said that he agreed that negotiations must be concluded as soon as possible in a fair manner. Although he was not confident that such a goal might be achieved, he said that he hoped everyone could be proud of the outcome when it sees the light of day.——————————After the economic collapse, the City of Reykjavík downsized. That act has yet to be recalled, resulting in the staff of Efling being made to shoulder an unacceptable work load and live on unacceptable wages. Efling has made one attempt after the other to correct the wages of municipal workers since the spring. Fair demands have been put forth for a decreased work load, decent wages and a shorter work week. The negotiations have been a series of disappointments. The City of Reykjavík took the initiative to start an experimental project for the shortening of the work week a few years ago. The positive results of the project are undeniable. Nevertheless, the municipal authorities drag their feet in this great step forward and an agreement has yet to be reached. The city is in the hands of Efling members in its almost 200 workplaces. This lowest paid group in society deserves to make a decent living.———————————Petition of Efling members to the authorities of the City of Reykjavík:We are behind our negotiating committee in Efling!Our work keeps the city functioning.We clean, beautify and maintain the city, cook food, provide domestic services, care for children, the elderly and the disabled.It is our sincere ambition to provide the best services possible and to be able to care for the inhabitants of the city and its environs ably.Despite that, we are paid the lowest wages and are made to shoulder an ever-increasing work load. After decades of cutbacks we demand a correction akin to that which the upper strata of society have received.Posts need to be reliably manned, the work week needs to be shortened and the wages increased considerably so that we can do our jobs meticulously and with self-respect and make ends meet.We call on the authorities of the City of Reykjavík to match our ambition with increased funding.We reached the end of the term of our previous agreement this past April.We wholeheartedly support the negotionating committee of Efling and call on the negotiating committee of the City of Reykjavík to accept our demands and reach an agreement without delay!Reykjavík is in our hands!The undersigned, members of Efling who work for the City of Reykjavík.
