A bill proposed by MPs from the Independence Party to amend the Act on Trade Unions and Industrial Disputes is poorly considered, not suited to achieving its stated objectives but rather the opposite, and would restrict the rights of trade unions and their members if passed. No consultation was held with the labour movement during the preparation of the bill, and Efling Trade Union strongly opposes its adoption.
The bill is presented by Jens Garðar Helgason along with nine other MPs from the Independence Party. Its stated aim is to expand the powers of the State Mediator “with the objective of improving procedures and efficiency in collective bargaining.” According to the bill, this is to be done by significantly increasing the weight of the Mediator’s proposals and severely limiting the right of trade unions to take industrial action. In effect, the bill seeks to substantially restrict the ability of unions to negotiate terms and to shift key decisions concerning collective agreements into the hands of the State Mediator.
Peculiar view of workers’ rights,
Efling has submitted its formal opinion on the bill to the parliamentary committee. The opinion states that it is at best misleading to claim that the bill is intended to protect the rights of union members. Rather, it clearly aims to curtail the rights of workers and their organisations.
Efling therefore strongly opposes the passage of the bill. “The bill appears to rest on a peculiar view of workers’ rights, even concerning matters that have been undisputed for decades. It could indeed be assumed that the authors of the bill consider collective struggle and independent bargaining by trade unions to be an obstacle. This outlook colours the bill’s discussion of what it presents as desirable labour market goals,” the opinion states. The opinion can be read below, in Icelandic.