History Efling

The Foundation of Efling and the Mergers

Efling Trade Union was founded in December 1998 and began operating at the turn of the year 1999. The union was created through the merger of Dagsbrún and Framsókn Unions with the Sókn Workers' Union and the Restaurant Workers' Union.

The following year, Efling merged with Iðja, the factory workers' union in Reykjavík, and on January 1, 2009, it merged with the workers' and fishermen's union Boðinn. The mergers increased membership, strengthened the union, and significantly expanded its operational area.

The Roots of Efling – Dagsbrún and the Origins of the Icelandic Labour Movement

Efling's roots stretch back to 1906, when its oldest predecessor, the Dagsbrún Workers' Union, was founded in Reykjavík. Its establishment marked a turning point in Icelandic history, as it was the first time that ordinary workers organised themselves to defend their interests through a trade union.

For decades, Dagsbrún remained one of Iceland's largest and most influential trade unions. Many of the social reforms and workers' rights secured during the twentieth century can be traced to the union's efforts, undertaken in cooperation with other trade unions and the Icelandic Confederation of Labour.

Preparations for the establishment of Dagsbrún began in late 1905, and at the founding meeting in January 1906, 384 workers joined the new union. Its founding charter stated:

We, whose names are written below, hereby resolve to establish an association to be known as the Dagsbrún Workers' Union.

The objectives of this union shall be:

• To protect and advance the welfare and employment of its members.

• To establish better organisation of all daily wage labour.

• To limit work on Sundays and public holidays.

• To promote education and a spirit of solidarity among members.

• To assist, whenever possible, to members who suffer accidents or other misfortunes."

In 1913, Dagsbrún organised the first strike action ever held in Reykjavík. The strike achieved significant results: the ten-hour working day was introduced, and employers formally recognised Dagsbrún as the legitimate bargaining representative of the city's workers.

The union's first President was Sigurður Sigurðsson, an agricultural adviser. Among its most influential later Presidents were Héðinn Valdimarsson, a Member of Parliament for the Social Democratic Party and later the Socialist Party, who served four separate terms between 1922 and 1941, Eðvarð Sigurðsson, a Member of Parliament for the People's Alliance, who served as President from 1961 to 1982, and Guðmundur J. Guðmundsson, widely known as Guðmundur Jaki, who led the union from 1982 to 1996.

Framsókn Women's Workers' Union

The Framsókn Women's Workers' Union was founded in Reykjavík in October 1914 by 68 women who were members of the Icelandic Women's Rights Association. Before its establishment, a proposal to create a women's section within Dagsbrún was not approved.

At the founding meeting, Jónína Jónatansdóttir, the driving force behind the creation of the union, was elected President and remained in the role for its first two decades. The union's executive committee also included prominent women such as Bríet Bjarnhéðinsdóttir, a Reykjavík City Councillor and publisher of Kvennablaðið (The Women's Journal), who became the first woman to stand for election to the Icelandic Parliament.

The union's first bylaws stated:

„To support and strengthen the interests and employment of female workers.
To bring better organization to all their daily wage work.
To limit work on all holidays.
To strengthen the culture and solidarity of the association.“

Framsókn fought for better wages for female workers who worked alongside men but were paid less. Despite resistance from employers, the union achieved increasing success, including wage increases, shorter working hours, and recognition of coffee breaks. Framsókn also fought for equal pay for both sexes—a struggle that left a lasting mark on the labor movement.

Only five women served as chairwomen of the union until the merger with Dagsbrún in 1998. Jónína was succeeded by Jóhanna Egilsdóttir, a city councillor and later a deputy member of parliament, who served as chairwoman for 27 years (1935–1962). The last chairwoman was Ragna Bergmann (1982–1998).

Sókn Working Girls' Association

The Working Girls' Association Sókn was founded on 20 July 1934. Founding members were 26, but a year later, they had become 56. The first chairman was Aðalheiður Hólm, then only 18 years old.

The Labour Newspaper (Verkalýðsblaðið) of November 5, 1935 states:

„The Working Girls' Association ‘Sókn’, which is hardly more than a year old, has in this short time managed to raise wages at the state hospitals considerably and now, with this agreement, greatly improved the conditions of these girls.“

Sókn joined the Icelandic Confederation of Labour on 18 June 1935. At that time there were about 80 association women, mostly working girls in hospitals and homes in Reykjavík.

In 1960 the basic wages of the Sóknar girls 3,211.25 kronur per month, which equals about 144,000 kronur at the price level of the year 2025. In the article Margrét Auðunsdóttir, chairperson of the association, at the general meeting in January 1960 said:

"We are told that we live beyond our means and spend too much. Wouldn't those good government economists calculate how much a girl who wants to dress decently and have some fun would have to save on these wages? The government could help them and tell them how much the wives and daughters of the authorities spend on clothing."

In 1977 the association changed its name and became the Workers' Association Sókn.

Restaurant Worker's Union

The union was founded in 1950. Aðalheiður Hólm, former chairman of Sókn, described the founding of it in an interview with the work 1. November 1985:

"Many of them worked in shifts and I remember once coming to a room out west in town where the girls took turns sleeping and resting – they had to share the room and the beds in this way. It was difficult to get in touch with these girls and most of them were frightened. Jón Rafnsson and I would walk around town at night and meet the girls, going into every café and having lemonade, trying to find ways to chat with the girls. At Hotel Borg it was hard to reach the staff, but we managed to have a secret meeting with the employees in a room that a friend of Jón's had rented at the time."

The union was founded shortly afterwards and became an important participant in the fight for the rights of service workers in restaurants and accommodations.

Iðja – factory workers' union

Iðja, association of factory workers in Reykjavík, was founded 18 October 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression. Founding members were 36, and the first chairman was Runólfur Pétursson.

Í sögu Alþýðusambands Íslands segir að sumir atvinnurekendur hafi neitað að viðurkenna félagið. Björn Bjarnason, síðar forystumaður Iðju, lýsir viðbrögðum félaganna:

“This was responded to by us literally taking over the company building. We carried the staff out onto the street and surrounded the building with the help of unemployed workers. […] This led the company owners to enter into negotiations with us immediately after noon the same day.”

The Workers' and Seamen's Association Boðinn

Verkalýðs- og sjómannafélagið Boðinn átti rætur að rekja til eldri verkalýðsfélaga á Suðurlandi, m.a. Smábænda- og verkalýðsfélags Ölfushrepps, sem árið 1939 taldi 30 félagsmenn. Boðinn starfaði á svæði sem náði yfir Þorlákshöfn, Hveragerði og nágrannasveitir og tók virkan þátt í verkalýðsbaráttu svæðisins.

From and including 1 January 2009 merged Boðinn Efling-union.

Efling today

Since the founding in 1998 there were about 14,000 members in Efling. In 2024 they paid 36,000 people to the association, which makes it that it is the largest trade union federation in the country and the longest-standing workers' union in Iceland.

The main negotiators of the association are The Confederation of Business, Reykjavík City, the Confederation of Companies in Health Services, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and The Wage Committee of municipalities.

The union runs many funds that support the union's work and services for members, including health fund, unemployment fund, vacation fund and association fund.

First chairman Efling was Halldór Björnsson (1998–2000). He was followed by Sigurður Bessason, who held the chairmanship until the year 2018. Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir took office in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022.

Efling board of directors consists of 15 members, its representative council has 130 delegates, and each of the union's funds is managed by a five-member board.