There is total unity among the employees of the Grund care homes who were sacked last week to demand that the layoffs should be withdrawn.
The staff was invited as guests of honour to the meeting of the Efling delegate council last night, Thursday October 5. In the meeting the delegate council approved a resolution that condemns the layoffs. The text of the resolution can be seen below along with photos.
The staff has presented messages to the management of the Grund care homes on the Facebook page of Efling. The messages can be seen here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/651069787137086
On Tuesday October 3 the staff also had a meeting with Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, chairman of Efling, in Hótel Örk. In the meeting a coordiation committee was elected that will organize action against the layoffs in cooperation with the union. Below is a photo from the meeting.
Earlier this week a lawyer sent a letter on behalf of Efling to Gísli Páll Pálsson, the chairman of the board of the Grund care homes, that requested explanation of the motives and reasons for the layoffs. The letter can be read here.
The residents of the care home Ás and the coworkers of the laid off staff have on their own initiative collected signatures protesting the layoffs and demanding that they be reconsidered. The signatures have been delivered to the director of the Grund care homes. A photo of the text of the petition can be seen below.
The Resolution of the Delegate Council
The delegate council of Efling condemns in the harshest terms the mass layoffs directed against Efling members in the workstations of the Grund homes in Hveragerði.
The delegate council demands that the layoyffs be withdrawn.
This brutal action means that close to 30 Efling members, some with more than 30 years work experience, will lose their jobs. They will witness their jobs land in the hands of private companies who offer worse work conditions and benefits to their staff.
With this, the Grund homes aim to save themselves from affording their staff valuable rights related to sickness, vacation, and layoff protrection which workers have fought for and gained in the last decades.
The Delegate Council expresses deep offense that institutions run for public funds are abusing workers in this despicable way, and thus in fact practicing social dumping in its most revolting expression. The Delegate council demands that the minister of health take responsibility for this development.
The Delegate Council supports the workers at the Grund homes wholeheartedly and expresses admiration for their struggle. All the doors of the union are open to them and it will be stopped at nothing to press for the demand that the layoffs be withdrawn.
Unanimously approved in the meeting of the Efling delegate council in the Efling community centre on October 5 2023.
