Reykjavík mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson commented on the city’s ongoing negotiations with Efling at a city council meeting on February 4. He said that a working group negotiating on shift work hadn’t turned in its results, and that Efling would not sign an agreement until it has. Dagur went on to say that “it wasn’t in the purview of the city to reach an agreement before the strike began.”These words are utterly at odds with all statements and demands by the negotiating committee of Efling, which have been thoroughly presented in public. Members of Efling in Reykjavík city are on strike because the city has not been willing to negotiate a correction of the city’s lowest wages.The strikes are not contingent on the working group in question and attempting to portray them as such are merely an attempt by the mayor to evade the issue.The negotiation committee of Efling will of course consider delaying further strikes if the city shows a willingness to discuss the key issue of the negotiations, namely amends for its lowest paid staff.
