Note: The English translation is provided for convenience only. In case of any discrepancy or doubt, the original Icelandic collective agreements take precedence and are legally binding.
13.1. Election of Union Representatives
13.1.1. Employees are permitted to elect one union representative at each workplace where 5 to 50 employees work, and two representatives if there are more than 50 employees. In this context, a workplace refers to any company where a group of people work together. After the election, the relevant trade union appoints the representatives. If holding an election is not possible, the union shall appoint the representatives directly. It is also permitted to elect three union representatives within a company if there are more than 120 union members at the same work location. Where a company has multiple locations, or employees generally report to workplaces other than the employer’s headquarters, the union representative shall be allowed flexibility to carry out their duties across all work sites, or additional representatives shall be elected to perform those duties.
13.1.2. Union representatives shall not be elected or appointed for a term longer than two years at a time.
13.2. Work of union representatives
Union representatives at workplaces shall, in consultation with the foreman, be allowed to devote as much time as needed to tasks entrusted to them by the workers at the workplace and/or the relevant trade union in their capacity as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced for this reason. If the representative’s regular job makes it impossible to perform their representative duties during normal working hours, an agreement shall be made at the request of the representative between the representative and the employer regarding the minimum amount of time the representative shall have available to carry out these duties. This agreement shall take into account the number of employees represented by the union representative, the general scope of representative tasks, the distribution of work sites, shift schedules, and other relevant factors.
13.3. Documents accessible to union representatives
In connection with a dispute, the union representative shall be permitted to review documents and work records related to the dispute. Such information shall be treated as confidential.
13.4. Facilities for Union Representatives
A union representative at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and access to a telephone, in consultation with the foreman.
13.5. Workplace Meetings
A union representative at each company shall be permitted to call a meeting with the workers twice a year during working hours at the workplace. These meetings shall start one hour before the end of the daytime work shift, where possible. The meetings shall be called in consultation with the relevant trade union and company management with a notice period of three days, unless the topic is urgent and directly related to workplace issues, in which case one day’s notice is sufficient. Workers’ pay shall not be reduced due to the first hour of such meeting time.
13.6. Complaints by Union Representatives
Workers are permitted to approach union representatives with any requests or complaints regarding working conditions or other matters they find lacking. The representative shall bring such requests or complaints to the employer or their representative, e.g., the foreman, before turning to other parties. The union representative shall not suffer any consequences from the employer or foreman for presenting complaints on behalf of the workers.
13.7. Union Representative Training Courses
Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend courses aimed at making them more competent in their role. Each representative has the right to attend one or more courses organized by trade unions, aimed at better equipping them for their duties, totaling up to one week per year. Those attending such courses shall retain their daytime wages and shift premiums for up to one week per year.
In companies with more than 15 employees, union representatives shall retain their daytime wages and shift premiums for up to two weeks in the first year. This applies to one representative per year in companies with 5–50 employees and two representatives if there are more than 50. If a training course is structured so that the representative is absent no more than one day per week, the representative shall retain daytime wages and shift premiums for up to ten working days per year. If the representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to perform work duties that day.
In accordance with Act No. 151/2006 on Information and Consultation in Undertakings, employers are obliged to provide information and consult with employee representatives. This consultation obligation applies where an average of at least 50 employees are employed, cf. the agreement between SA and ASÍ on information and consultation. The law assumes that the union representative acts as the employee representative.
15.1 Election of Union Representatives
15.1.1 Employees are permitted to elect one union representative at each workplace where 5–50 employees work, and two representatives if there are more than 50 employees. After the election, Efling – Trade Union appoints the representatives. If an election cannot be held, the representatives shall be appointed by the union.
15.1.2 If there are four or more union representatives at a given institution, Efling – Trade Union shall select one of them to act as the main spokesperson for the union toward the institution. In the case of major decisions—such as mass layoffs or changes to performance- and competence-based pay systems—this representative must be informed specifically.
15.1.3 Union representatives shall not be elected or appointed for a period longer than two years at a time.
15.1.4 Main Union Representative for Efling – Trade Union
15.1.4.1 Due to the unique nature of workplaces within the City of Reykjavík, Efling – Trade Union is permitted to appoint a main union representative from among the employees to monitor matters concerning the city’s workplaces, including agreements on bonus systems.
15.1.4.2 Notices of layoffs and major changes to job roles must be reported to both the main union representative and the union itself.
15.2 Duties of Union Representatives
15.2.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall, in consultation with supervisors, be permitted to devote as much time as needed to duties assigned by the employees and/or Efling – Trade Union in their role as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced for this reason.
15.3 Access to Documents
15.3.1 Union representatives shall be permitted, in connection with disputes, to examine documents and work logs related to the matter. Such information shall be treated as confidential.
15.4 Facilities for Union Representatives
15.4.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and access to a phone, in consultation with supervisors.
15.5 Complaints by Union Representatives
15.5.1 Union representatives shall present employee complaints to the nearest supervisor or another manager at the institution before turning to other parties.
15.6 Workplace Meetings
15.6.1 Union representatives at each institution shall be permitted to call a meeting with employees twice per year during working hours at the workplace. These meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the daytime shift, where possible. Meetings must be called in consultation with Efling – Trade Union and the institution’s management with at least three days' notice, unless the topic is urgent and directly related to a workplace issue. In such cases, one day’s notice is sufficient. Employee wages shall not be reduced due to attendance during the first hour of the meeting.
15.7 Conferences
15.7.1 Union representatives shall be permitted to attend conferences organized by Efling – Trade Union for up to three working days once per year, without reduction in regular wages. Supervisors must be notified of such absences at least one week in advance.
15.8 Work on Collective Bargaining
15.8.1 Members elected to Efling – Trade Union’s negotiating committee shall be granted leave to perform this role without reduction in regular wages. Supervisors must be informed of such absences within a reasonable timeframe.
15.9 Protection of Union Representatives in the Workplace
15.9.1 Union representatives shall not suffer any consequences from their supervisors for presenting complaints on behalf of employees.
15.9.2 It is prohibited to terminate the employment of union representatives due to their duties or to subject them in any other way to negative consequences because Efling – Trade Union has tasked them with serving as a union representative.
15.10 Union Representative Training Courses
15.10.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend courses aimed at improving their competence in their role. Those attending such courses shall retain their regular wages for up to one week per year. In institutions where more than 15 union members are employed, representatives shall retain their wages for up to two weeks in the first year. This applies to one representative per year in institutions with 5–50 members, and two representatives if there are more than 50. The courses must be approved by the contracting parties.
If a training course is structured so that the union representative is absent no more than one day per week, they shall retain regular wages for up to ten working days per year.
If the union representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to work that day.
Contract: Collective wage agreement between Efling and Reykjavík City - Efling stéttarfélag
16.2.1 Election of Union Representatives
16.2.2 Employees are permitted to elect one union representative at each workplace with 5–50 employees, two representatives where there are 51–100 employees, three where there are 101–175, four where there are 176–275, and five where there are 276 or more. After the election, the relevant union appoints the representatives. If no election can be held, the union shall appoint them.
16.2.3 Union representatives shall not be elected or appointed for a period longer than two years at a time.
16.3 Duties of Union Representatives
16.3.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall, in consultation with management, be permitted to spend time as needed on tasks assigned by the employees or the relevant union due to their role as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced due to these duties.
16.3.2 Access to Documents
Union representatives shall be allowed, in connection with disputes, to examine documents and work logs relevant to the dispute. Additionally, a representative may request information on wages and working conditions of foreign employees if they suspect the collective agreement is not being followed. If no representative is available, a union staff member may request the information instead. All such information must be treated as confidential.
16.3.3 Facilities for Union Representatives
Union representatives at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and access to a telephone, in consultation with management.
16.3.4 Complaints by Union Representatives
Union representatives shall present employee complaints to the nearest supervisor or another representative of the institution before turning to other parties.
16.4 Workplace Meetings
Union representatives at each institution shall be permitted to call a meeting with employees twice a year during working hours at the workplace. These meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the daytime work shift, where possible. Meetings must be called in consultation with the relevant union and institutional representatives with three days’ notice unless the subject is urgent and directly related to workplace problems. In that case, one day's notice is sufficient. Employee wages shall not be reduced during the first hour of the meeting.
16.5 Conferences, Meetings, Seminars, and Courses
Union representatives shall be permitted to attend conferences, meetings, seminars, and courses organized by their union for up to one week per year without reduction in regular wages. The same applies to board members of the union. Supervisors must be informed at least one week in advance.
16.6 Work on Collective Bargaining
Members elected to the negotiating committee or electoral committee of the union shall be granted leave to perform these duties without loss of regular pay. Supervisors must be notified in advance within reason.
16.7 Protection of Union Representatives in the Workplace
Union representatives shall not suffer any consequences from their supervisors for bringing forward complaints on behalf of employees.
16.7.2 It is prohibited to terminate the employment of union representatives because of their role as representatives or to subject them in any other way to adverse consequences for performing such duties on behalf of the union.
16.8 Union Representative Training Courses
Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend training courses aimed at improving their competence in the role. Those who attend such courses shall retain their regular wages for up to one week per year.
In institutions with more than 15 union members, union representatives shall retain regular wages for up to two weeks in the first year. This applies to one representative per year at institutions with 5–50 union members, two representatives if more than 50, three if more than 100, four if more than 175, and five if 276 or more. The courses must be approved by the contracting parties.
If a course is organized such that the representative is absent for no more than one day per week, they shall retain regular wages for up to ten working days per year. If the representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to work that day.
In all cases, the supervisor of the institution must be notified in advance about absences due to training courses.
16.2 Union Representatives
16.2.1 Election of Union Representatives
16.2.2 Employees are permitted to elect one union representative at each workplace where 5–50 employees work, and two representatives if there are more than 50 employees. After the election, the respective union appoints the representatives. If an election cannot be held, the representatives shall be appointed by the union.
16.2.3 Union representatives shall not be elected or appointed for a period longer than two years at a time.
16.3 Duties of Union Representatives
16.3.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall, in consultation with supervisors, be permitted to devote as much time as needed to duties assigned by the employees and/or the respective union due to their role as union representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced for this reason.
16.3.2 Access to Documents
Union representatives shall be permitted, in connection with disputes, to examine documents and work logs related to the matter. In addition, a union representative may, on their own initiative, request information on the wages and terms of employment of foreign workers if they suspect a breach of the collective agreement. If no union representative is present, a staff member of the union may request this information on their behalf. All information obtained under this article shall be treated as confidential.
16.3.3 Facilities for Union Representatives
Union representatives at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and access to a phone, in consultation with supervisors.
16.3.4 Complaints by Union Representatives
Union representatives shall present employee complaints to the nearest supervisor or another manager at the institution before turning to other parties.
16.4 Workplace Meetings
16.4.1 Union representatives at each institution shall be permitted to call a meeting with employees twice per year during working hours at the workplace. These meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the daytime shift, where possible. Meetings must be called in consultation with the respective union and the institution’s management with at least three days’ notice, unless the topic is urgent and directly related to a workplace issue. In such cases, one day’s notice is sufficient. Employee wages shall not be reduced due to attendance during the first hour of the meeting.
16.5 Conferences, Meetings, Seminars, and Courses
16.5.1 Union representatives shall be permitted to attend conferences, meetings, seminars, and courses organized by the respective union for up to one week once per year without reduction in regular wages. The same applies to board members of the union. Supervisors must be notified of such absences at least one week in advance.
16.6 Work on Collective Bargaining
16.6.1 Union members elected to the negotiating or electoral committee of the respective union shall be granted leave to perform this role without reduction in regular wages. Supervisors must be informed of such absences within a reasonable timeframe.
16.7 Protection of Union Representatives in the Workplace
16.7.1 Union representatives shall not suffer any consequences from their supervisors for presenting complaints on behalf of employees.
16.7.2 It is prohibited to terminate the employment of union representatives due to their duties or to subject them in any other way to negative consequences because the union has tasked them with serving as a union representative.
16.8 Union Representative Training Courses
16.8.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend courses aimed at improving their competence in their role. Those attending such courses shall retain their regular wages for up to one week per year. In institutions where more than 15 union members are employed, representatives shall retain their wages for up to two weeks in the first year. This applies to one representative per year in institutions with 5–50 members, and two representatives if there are more than 50. The courses must be approved by the contracting parties.
If the course is structured so that the representative is absent no more than one day per week, they shall retain regular wages for up to ten working days per year.
If the union representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to work that day.
In all cases, the supervisor of the institution shall be notified within a reasonable timeframe of any absences due to training.
Contracts: Collective wage agreement between Efling and the state - Efling stéttarfélag
14.1 Election of Union Representatives
Employees are permitted to elect one union representative at each workplace with 5–50 employees, and two representatives if there are more than 50. A workplace is considered any company where a group of people work together. After the election, the relevant union appoints the representatives. If an election cannot be held, the union shall appoint them. It is permissible to elect three representatives within a company if more than 120 union members work at the same location. Where a company has multiple locations or employees generally report to places other than headquarters, the representative shall be granted time to serve at all locations or additional representatives shall be elected to fulfill those duties.
14.2 Duties of Union Representatives
Union representatives at the workplace shall, in consultation with the foreman, be permitted to spend as much time as needed on tasks entrusted to them by the workers at the workplace and/or the union due to their role as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced because of this.
If the union representative’s work is such that it is not possible to perform union duties during normal working hours, then at the representative's request, an agreement shall be made between the employer and the representative regarding the minimum amount of time the representative shall have available to perform these duties. The agreement shall take into account the number of employees represented, the general scope of representative duties, the distribution of work locations, shift arrangements, and other relevant factors.
14.3 Access to Documents
Union representatives or union staff shall be permitted to examine documents and work logs related to a dispute. Such information shall be treated as confidential.
14.4 Facilities for Union Representatives
Union representatives shall have access to a locked cabinet and a telephone, in consultation with the foreman.
14.5 Workplace Meetings
Union representatives at each company shall be permitted to call meetings with staff twice per year during working hours. The meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the regular daytime shift, where possible. The meetings shall be called in consultation with the union and company management with three days’ notice, unless the topic is urgent and directly related to workplace issues, in which case one day’s notice is sufficient. Wages shall not be reduced due to participation during the first hour of such meetings.
At workplaces where no union representative has been appointed, a union representative may call a meeting with the approval of the company's management. Such meetings shall be held at times that minimize disruption to the company's operations, and the location and time must be agreed with management before the meeting is announced.
14.6 Complaints by Union Representatives
Union representatives shall present employee complaints to the foreman or other company management before turning to other parties.
14.7 Union Representative Training Courses
Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend courses aimed at improving their effectiveness in their role. Each representative has the right to attend one or more courses organized by the trade unions to better equip them for their duties, totaling up to one week per year.
Those attending training courses shall retain their daytime wages and shift premiums for up to one week per year. In companies with more than 15 employees, union representatives shall retain these for up to two weeks in the first year. This applies to one representative per year in companies with 5–50 employees and two representatives in companies with more than 50 employees.
If the training course is organized so that the representative is absent no more than one day per week, they retain their wages and shift premiums for up to ten working days per year. If the representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to work that day.
14.8 Right to Attend Meetings
During collective bargaining negotiations, members of SGS member unions who are elected to negotiation committees may attend meetings during working hours. The same applies to representatives at the annual ASÍ/SGS meetings and joint committees of ASÍ/SGS and SA.
Efforts shall be made to ensure that employee absences have minimal impact on company operations, and employees shall consult with supervisors about absences with as much notice as possible. Generally, no more than 1–2 employees from each company should attend. There is no obligation to pay wages for hours an employee is absent.
14.9. Rights of Trade Unions
This agreement on union representatives in workplaces does not diminish the rights of those trade unions that already have more extensive rights regarding union representatives in their existing agreements than those provided for here.
14.10. Consultation in Companies
According to Act No. 151/2006 on the provision of information and consultation in undertakings, employers are obligated to provide information to and consult with employee representatives. This consultation requirement applies in companies where at least 50 employees are regularly employed, as further specified in the agreement between SA and ASÍ on information and consultation in companies. The law assumes that the union representative serves as the employee representative.
14.2. Union Representatives
14.2.1. Election of Union Representatives
14.2.1.1 Employees are permitted to elect one union representative at each workplace where 5 to 50 employees work, and two representatives if there are more than 50 employees. After the election, the relevant labor union appoints the representatives. If it is not possible to hold an election, the union shall appoint the representatives.
14.2.1.2 Union representatives shall not be elected or appointed for a period longer than two years at a time.
14.2.2. Duties of Union Representatives
14.2.2.1 Union representatives at workplaces shall, in consultation with management, be permitted to devote as much time as necessary to tasks assigned to them by the employees at the workplace and/or the relevant labor union in their role as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced as a result.
14.2.3. Access to Documents
14.2.3.1 Union representatives shall be permitted, in connection with disputes, to review documents and work logs related to the dispute. Such information shall be treated as confidential.
14.2.4. Facilities for Union Representatives
14.2.4.1 A union representative at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and access to a phone, in consultation with the foreman.
14.2.5. Workplace Meetings
14.2.5.1 Union representatives at each institution shall be permitted to call a meeting with workers twice a year during working hours at the workplace. Meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the daytime work shift, where possible. The meetings shall be called in consultation with the relevant labor union and the management of the institution with three days' notice, unless the meeting concerns an urgent matter directly related to a workplace issue. In such cases, one day's notice is sufficient. Employee wages shall not be reduced for attending the first hour of such meetings.
14.2.6. Complaints by Union Representatives
14.2.6.1 The union representative shall present employee complaints to the foreman or other managers before turning to outside parties.
14.2.7. Conferences, Meetings, Seminars, and Courses
14.2.7.1 Union representatives shall be permitted to attend conferences, meetings, seminars, and courses organized by the relevant union for up to five working days per year without reduction in regular wages. The same applies to board members of the union. Supervisors must be notified of such absences at least one week in advance.
14.2.8. Work on Collective Bargaining
14.2.8.1 Members elected to the negotiating committee of the relevant union shall be granted leave to perform that task without a reduction in regular wages. Supervisors must be notified of such absences within a reasonable timeframe.
14.2.9. Union Representative Training Courses
14.2.9.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend training courses aimed at improving their competence in the role. Those attending such courses shall retain regular wages for up to five working days per year, provided the courses are approved by the contracting parties. In companies with more than 15 employees, representatives shall retain wages for up to two weeks in the first year. This applies to one representative per year in companies with 5–50 employees, and two representatives in companies with more than 50.
Efling’s training for union representatives is organized such that the representative is absent from work no more than one day per month. In such cases, they retain regular wages for up to ten working days per year. The total entitlement under Article 14.2.9.1 is a maximum of 10 days per year.
In all cases, the institution's supervisor shall be informed in advance of planned absences due to training courses so the employer can make necessary arrangements. If a representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to work that day.
14.2.10. Rights of Labor Unions
14.2.10.1 This agreement on union representatives at workplaces does not diminish the rights of labor unions that already have more extensive rights regarding union representatives in their existing agreements than those provided here.
Mobile Surveillance (IS: farandgæsla)
10.1 Security guards are permitted to elect the following union representatives: one for mobile surveillance, one for site-based surveillance, and one for surveillance in Kringlan shopping mall. Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend courses aimed at improving their competence in their role. Those attending the courses shall retain their daytime wages for 8 hours per day for up to 5 days per year, according to each individual's wage rate, regardless of whether the courses take place during the representative’s scheduled work week or outside of it. Only one union representative may attend a course at a time.
Securitas hf.
10.1 Security guards are permitted to elect the following union representatives: one for mobile surveillance and one for site-based surveillance. VSFK is permitted to elect a union representative within its area of operations. Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend courses aimed at improving their competence in their role. Those attending the courses shall retain their daytime wages for 8 hours per day for up to 5 days per year, according to each individual's wage rate, regardless of whether the courses take place during the representative’s scheduled work week or outside of it. Only one union representative may attend a course at a time.
Contract: Security Guards special contract
15. Union Representatives and Workplace Meetings
15.1 Election of Union Representatives
15.1.1 Employees are permitted to elect 1 union representative at each workplace where 5–50 employees work, and 2 representatives if there are more than 50 employees. After the election, the relevant trade union appoints the representatives. If an election is not feasible, the union shall appoint the representatives.
15.1.2 If 4 or more union representatives are elected within a given institution, the relevant union shall select one of them to serve as the union’s main spokesperson to the institution. In important matters—such as decisions regarding group layoffs or matters concerning performance- and competence-based pay—this main representative of Efling Union shall be informed specifically.
15.1.3 Union representatives may not be elected or appointed for a term longer than two years at a time.
15.1.4 Terminations and significant changes in employment must be reported to the union representative and the union.
15.2 Duties of Union Representatives
15.2.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall, in consultation with management, be allowed to spend time as needed on duties assigned to them by the employees at the workplace and/or the relevant trade union in relation to their role as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced due to these activities.
15.3 Access to Documents
15.3.1 Union representatives shall have the right, in the case of disputes, to review documents and work logs relevant to the dispute. Such information must be treated as confidential.
15.4 Facilities for Union Representatives
15.4.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and telephone use in consultation with management.
15.5 Complaints by Union Representatives
15.5.1 Union representatives shall present employee complaints to the immediate supervisor or another official of the institution before approaching external parties.
15.6 Workplace Meetings
15.6.1 Union representatives in each institution shall be allowed to call meetings with employees twice a year during working hours at the workplace. Meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the regular daytime shift, where possible. Meetings must be convened in consultation with the relevant union and the institution’s management, with three days’ notice, unless the meeting concerns urgent matters directly related to workplace issues. In that case, one day’s notice suffices. Employees’ wages shall not be reduced for the first hour of the meeting.
15.7 Assemblies, Meetings, Conferences, and Courses
15.7.1 Union representatives shall be permitted to attend assemblies, meetings, conferences, and courses organized by the relevant trade union for up to one week per year without any reduction in regular pay. Supervisors must be notified of such absences with at least one week’s notice.
15.8 Work on Collective Agreements
15.8.1 Union members elected to the negotiation committee of the relevant union shall be granted leave to carry out this task without any reduction in regular wages. Supervisors must be notified of such absences with reasonable notice.
15.9 Protection of Union Representatives in Employment
15.9.1 Union representatives shall not suffer any consequences from the institution’s management for presenting complaints on behalf of employees.
15.9.2 It is prohibited to dismiss union representatives due to their role or to treat them adversely in any way because the relevant trade union has assigned them representative duties.
15.10 Union Representative Training Courses
15.10.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend training courses aimed at improving their competence. Those attending such courses shall retain their regular wages for up to one week per year. In companies with more than 15 union members, representatives shall retain their regular wages for up to two weeks in their first year. This applies to one union representative per company annually if there are 5–50 members, or two representatives if there are more than 50. The courses must be recognized by the contracting parties.
If the course is organized so that the union representative’s absence from work is no more than one day per week, the representative shall retain regular wages for up to ten working days per year. If the representative attends a full-day course, they shall not be required to perform work duties on that day.
Contract: Agreement between Efling and the Associated Icelandic Ports (IS: Faxaflóahafnir)
14. Union Representatives and Workplace Meetings
14.1 Election of Union Representatives
14.1.1 Employees are permitted to elect 1 union representative if there are 5–50 employees, and 2 representatives if there are more than 50. After the election, Efling Union shall appoint the representatives. If an election is not feasible, the union shall appoint the representatives.
14.1.2 Union representatives may not be elected or appointed for a term longer than two years at a time.
14.2 Duties of Union Representatives
14.2.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall, in consultation with management, be permitted to spend time as needed on tasks assigned to them by the employees at the workplace and/or Efling Union in relation to their role as representatives. Their wages shall not be reduced due to these activities.
14.3 Access to Documents
14.3.1 Union representatives shall be permitted, in connection with disputes, to review documents and work logs related to the matter in question. Such information must be treated as confidential.
14.4 Facilities for Union Representatives
14.4.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall have access to a locked cabinet and access to a telephone in consultation with management.
14.5 Complaints by Union Representatives
14.5.1 Union representatives shall present employee complaints to the nearest supervisor or the Human Resources Manager of Reykjavík Energy before approaching external parties.
14.6 Workplace Meetings
14.6.1 Union representatives shall be allowed to call meetings with employees twice per year during working hours at the workplace. Meetings shall begin one hour before the end of the daytime work schedule where feasible. Meetings shall be convened in consultation with Efling Union and the Human Resources Manager of Reykjavík Energy with three days’ notice unless the issue is urgent and directly related to a workplace problem, in which case one day’s notice shall suffice. Employee wages shall not be reduced for the first hour of the meeting.
14.7 Assemblies, Meetings, Conferences, and Courses
14.7.1 Union representatives shall be permitted to attend assemblies, meetings, conferences, and courses organized by Efling Union for up to one week per year without reduction in regular wages. Supervisors shall be notified of such absences with at least one week's notice.
14.8 Work on Collective Agreements
14.8.1 Union members elected to Efling Union’s negotiation committee shall be granted leave to carry out this task without a reduction in regular wages. Supervisors must be notified of such absences with reasonable notice.
14.9 Protection of Union Representatives in Employment
14.9.1 Union representatives shall not suffer any consequences from Reykjavík Energy’s management for presenting complaints on behalf of employees.
14.9.2 It is prohibited to terminate union representatives because of their duties as representatives or otherwise make them suffer for being entrusted by Efling Union to perform representative duties on its behalf.
14.10 Union Representative Training Courses
14.10.1 Union representatives at the workplace shall be given the opportunity to attend training courses aimed at improving their competence. Those who attend such courses shall retain their regular wages for up to one week per year. In companies where more than 15 union members are employed, union representatives shall retain regular wages for up to two weeks during their first year. This applies to one representative per company annually if there are 5–50 union members, and to two representatives if there are more than 50. Courses must be recognized by the contracting parties.
1.28. Sale of Catch
1.28.1 General
The vessel operator is responsible for the sale of the catch and is authorized to act on behalf of the crew regarding their share. The operator shall ensure the highest possible market price for the fish for the crew, and never lower than what the operator receives, including for roe, liver, and bones. It is not permitted to deduct costs related to the purchase of fishing quotas from the total value of the catch, cf. Article 1 of Act No. 24/1986 and Article 10 of Act No. 79/1994 amending the same Act on distribution of value and payment methods, with subsequent amendments.
The following provisions do not apply in cases where the catch is sold at domestic or foreign auctions.
The operator shall consult with a representative elected by the crew in a simple vote regarding the intended sale of the catch for at least one month at a time and shall inform them of the available information on sales and fish prices. The operator must be notified of the elected crew representative at any given time. The crew representative shall have access to contracts, invoices, and other documents determining the price of individual fish species, upon specific request.
At the beginning of the fishing season for capelin, blue whiting, mackerel, and herring, representatives of the fishing companies shall hold a meeting with seafarers' representatives from the Joint Committee of Seafarers and Fishing Operators and staff from the Price Determination Office for Value Sharing.
When the operator sells the catch to their own processing plant — i.e., transactions between affiliated entities — the operator and crew shall enter into a separate fish price agreement. To be valid, the agreement must be approved in a secret ballot by the crew and then signed by both crew and operator representatives. The agreement must be in a standardized format, detailing prices of individual species, size, quality, market and exchange rate benchmarks, disposal plans, validity period, termination clauses, etc.
If the majority of the crew believes the price agreement is in violation of this collective agreement, the Joint Committee of Seafarers and Fishing Operators shall issue a ruling. "Affiliated entities" refers to cases where the fishing operation and processing plant are predominantly owned by the same parties.
1.29.3 Catch Sold in Containers Abroad
If catch is loaded into containers for sale abroad, the crew themselves must load the fish into the containers, without additional pay. The time spent loading the fish into containers shall not count toward contractual harbor rest days.
Landing bonuses shall be paid in accordance with the terms of the collective agreement relevant to the specific type of fishing.
However, the crew and operator may agree that a third party handles landing and containerizing the fish due to specific circumstances at each location. In such cases, the cost shall be deducted separately in addition to agreed deductions, cf. Article 3 of Act No. 24/1986 on value distribution and payment systems in the fisheries sector, and Act No. 21/1987 amending the same.
If the crew does not handle the landing themselves, they shall appoint a representative from among them to oversee the loading of the catch into containers, without additional pay.
1.37. Crew Representative
The crew shall have a representative to oversee accounting and other matters that concern them collectively.
Fish buyers shall provide the crew representative with an invoice for the delivered catch each time, showing the price per kilo.
4.10. Seine Boats That Freeze Catch Onboard
4.13. Settlement
Each fishing trip shall be considered a separate minimum wage guarantee period. Upon return from a fishing trip, the final settlement of previous trips must be available, no later than 15 days after the trip ends. The crew representative shall receive a copy of the product sales invoices upon request.
5.20. Freezer Trawlers
5.27. Settlement
Crew members shall receive 90% of their estimated catch share at the end of each fishing trip. Final settlement shall take place no later than at the end of the next trip. The crew representative shall receive a copy of the product sales invoices upon request.
5.40. Boats That Freeze Groundfish Onboard
5.44. Settlement
Each fishing trip shall be considered a separate minimum wage guarantee period.
Crew members shall receive 90% of their estimated catch share at the end of each trip. Final settlement shall take place no later than at the end of the next trip. The crew representative shall receive a copy of the product sales invoices upon request.
5.50. Trawlers That Salt Fish Onboard
5.57. Settlement
Each fishing trip shall be considered a separate minimum wage guarantee period. Crew members shall receive 90% of their estimated catch share at the end of each trip. Final settlement shall take place no later than 30 days after the trip ends. The crew representative shall receive a copy of the product sales invoices.