Fishing activities on an Icelandic vessel. (Photo: Ãlsey blog)
Fishermen threaten to call a strike
ICELAND
Friday, October 21, 2016, 00:40 (GMT + 9)
In a secret ballot Iceland's fishing crews have decided to call a strike as of November 10, complaining about having been without a contract for six years and the management’s proposal to cut their salaries further.
The decision was taken after the parties rejected the collective agreements in June. Since then, the parties have tried to negotiate on different terms, but without a result.
One of the more contentious parts of the labour dispute is the fact that management of Iceland’s major fisheries intend to offset added government fees by taking the needed funds directly from catch values. This initiative essentially moves money away from the seamen and into the hands of management, to help cover costs that they need to pay for.
Fisheries Iceland, the organization representing Icelandic fishing companies, consider the ballot result a disappointment.
“It is the responsibility of all parties to make every effort to agree on a collective agreement before the strike begins,” claimed Heidrun Lind Marteinsdottir, CEO of Fisheries Iceland.
The leader stressed the importance for representatives from both the unions and the industry to use their best efforts and yet again try to reach an agreement.
“If negotiations result in an agreement before November 10, the strike will be called off. A strike should be seen as a last resort, as it would not only cause damage to all parties involved, but also to the Icelandic economy,” pointed out Marteinsdottir.
Fishing accounts for about 8 per cent of Iceland’s GDP, and is one of the pillars of the economy.
As such, management only has about three weeks to offer seamen a satisfactory contract before the strike begins.
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