Akranes Labor Union claims that laws on mass lay offs were violated when 64 workers of the local fish processing plant HB Grandi received letters of resignation on Wednesday. The labor union is preparing a law suit.
Chairman of the union Vilhjálmur Birgisson said the Icelandic Confederation of Labor (ASÍ) will probably represent their case. ASÍ’s assistant managing director Halldór Grönvold told Morgunbladid HB Grandi clearly broke the law and European regulations on mass lay offs.
Twenty of the 64 workers (earlier reports stated they were 59) who were given leave, will however, be rehired, although no one has been informed about his or her status yet.
Grönvold said the main thing to keep in mind in relation to mass lay offs like these is to cooperate with the workers’ representative, relevant labor unions or the Directorate of Labor on how to execute necessary resignations and how to assist those targeted.
“We are not demanding that a company is running a business that isn’t profitable. But people have to be given the change to present their ideas and make suggestions,” Birgisson said.
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