Get involved

Union representatives play a key role in Efling’s work. The union places strong emphasis on increasing their number and providing them with training and support. According to collective agreements, members at workplaces with five or more union members can elect a union representative.

The union representative is the point of contact between employees and the union at the workplace. Their role is to help ensure that collective agreements are followed, that rights are respected, and to support members with workplace-related issues. They also share information from the union with members and communicate workplace issues back to the union when needed.

Union representatives attend monthly full-day training sessions from September to May. The training is demanding but rewarding, with a strong focus on practical skills and active participation. The languages of the training are Icelandic and English.

The requirements for becoming a union representative are that you are a member of Efling, do not hold a managerial position with authority to hire or dismiss other Efling members, and have a confirmed mandate from your co-workers.

If you want to become a trustee or help to have a trustee appointed at your workplace you can view further information here.

It deals with the duties and organization of trustees in a special regulation set by the union's board.

The Delegate Council is the highest decision-making body of the union between general meetings. It consists of 130 members, including the union’s Executive Board. The term of the Delegate Council is two years, starting on 1 January in odd-numbered years and ending at the close of the following calendar year.

The Delegate Council meets once a month during the winter season.

It is discussed in more detail about trúnaðarráð í 15. and 26. sections. law of the félagsins and the council's decision is usually based on the proposal of the nomination committee. The election takes place í nóvember á latter election year of the outgoing trúnaðarráðs.

As elections approach, an announcement is sent by email to all members, published on the union’s website, and may also be shared on the union’s social media channels. Members are invited to put themselves forward as candidates.

Serving on the Delegate Council is a good way to gain insight into the union’s work and take an active role. Meetings regularly cover developments in collective bargaining and other issues within the labour movement. The Chair presides over meetings, and guest speakers are sometimes invited. Open discussion is always encouraged, and members are free to raise any issues under “Other matters.” 

Monthly council meetings are always held in the union house Efling at 6 p.m. on Thursdays. The house opens half an hour earlier and refreshments are offered. Meetings are interpreted between Icelandic and English and aim to have material presented in both Icelandic and English. See the current trust council and minutes here.

The only requirement for standing for election to the Delegate Council is to be a full member of the union. Members become full members automatically after paying membership dues for six months, unless they have requested otherwise. You can check your status on your personal page under “My Pages”.

The Board of Efling is responsible for the overall governance of the union between general meetings. It holds collective responsibility for the union’s finances and assets. Board meetings are generally held once a month.

The Board consists of 15 members: a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and 11 Board members. The term of office is two years, and elections are held annually.

To ensure continuity in leadership, seven Board members are elected each year to serve staggered two-year terms. The Chair is elected for a two-year term. Elections for the Board and the auditors are held annually, no later than the end of March.

A five-member nomination committee operates within the union and proposes candidates for the Board and auditors. The selection process must ensure equality between genders and across occupational sectors.

All full members of Efling are eligible to stand for elected positions within the union.

The nomination committee’s list (List A) is presented at the union’s office eight days before the election. Other candidate lists must be submitted to the election committee no later than seven days before the election. Each list must be supported by 120 full members.

Elections to the Board are conducted by secret ballot, either at an election meeting or by postal voting. Members vote between the candidate lists presented.

Further provisions on voting eligibility, candidacy and election can be found in Chapter VI law Efling.

Full members Efling can take part in the work of the union by sitting on committees, boards and funds.

Boards of funds Efling, such as the Health Fund, the Holiday Fund, the Employment Fund and the Education Fund, are generally elected by the union's executive committee. The union's standing committees are also generally elected by the executive committee.

In this work, important matters concerning the rights and services for members are discussed, such as grants, holiday houses, education and vocational training.

Examples of elected committees and boards are:

• Nomination committee, which prepares the slate for the board Efling.
• Steering committee, which oversees elections and general voting.
• Boards of vocational training funds, which are operated in cooperation with public employers, such as the City of Reykjavík.

Efling’s negotiating committees are composed of union members and play a key role in leading the union’s collective bargaining. Members are invited to join the committees when collective agreements are due to expire, and they operate until new agreements are reached. The Chair of Efling serves as the Chair of the negotiating committees. Efling places emphasis on having large negotiating committees and on ensuring that their work is open and transparent to members.

The role of the negotiating committees is to represent the union in collective bargaining, and they are given a broad mandate to do so. The committees attend negotiation meetings with counterparts and also hold their own meetings, which are convened and chaired by the Chair. Serving on a negotiating committee involves a significant workload, but members may be entitled to attend meetings without loss of pay from their employer. The role of negotiating committees is defined in Efling’s statutes and in legislation on trade unions and labour disputes.

The Board of Representatives of the Gildir Pension Fund has an important role to play in the affairs of the fund. The Board of Representatives is composed equally of representatives of the employee and employer organizations that support the fund. Trade unions that are members of the fund, including Efling, nominate a total of 80 representatives to sit on the board. The number of representatives of each union, and thus Efling, is determined every other year and depends on the weight of the members' contributions to the fund.

The role of Efling's representative on the Board of Representatives is to vote at Gildir's annual meeting and other meetings, on behalf of Efling. At meetings of the Board of Representatives, the fund's issues are discussed and key performance figures are presented. The board's role is also to confirm nominations of fund member representatives to the fund's board, to elect representatives to the fund's committees, including the fund member nomination committee that prepares candidates for the Gildir board. To determine the remuneration policy and salaries of board members.

To ensure that Efling fund members have a strong voice in the management of Gildi, it is important that as many full members as possible are willing to get involved, but all full members of Efling who meet the eligibility requirements have the opportunity to nominate themselves for a seat on the representative council and thus have a direct impact on the future of their pension rights.

The Gildi representative council is discussed in the fund's articles of association here.

Full members can participate in the Eflingarþing, which is a forum where members come together, discuss the status and priorities of the association, and formulate proposals for next steps.

At the Eflingarþing, members are given the opportunity to influence the company's policies and work, express their views, and participate in discussions on issues that matter to members.

The assembly is an important part of Efling's democratic work and can discuss a variety of issues, such as wages, rights, workplace issues, the company's services and future focuses.

Participation in Eflingarþing is suitable for those who want to:

• influence the company's strategy and priorities
• convey the experiences and perspectives of members of the community
• participate in discussions about the rights and interests of members
• get to know the company's work better

Resolutions, speeches, news, photos and minutes from the 2026 Eflingarþing can be accessed here.

The Congress of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASÍ) is the highest decision-making body of the confederation. It is held every two years and serves as the forum where the President and Central Executive Board of ASÍ are elected. Amendments to the confederation’s statutes and policy resolutions are also decided at the Congress.

Each member union of ASÍ has the right to send representatives to the Congress, with the number of delegates determined by the size of the union. In total, around 300 representatives of workers from across the country come together to shape the confederation’s policies and work programme and to elect its leadership.

All full members of Efling have the opportunity to put themselves forward for nomination to attend the ASÍ Congress and thereby have a direct influence on the future of the labour movement. The nomination committee prepares the list of delegates based on nominations and submits it to the Delegate Council for approval.