The Icelandic Confederation of Labor (ASÍ) demanded in a letter to the government that a bill be submitted no later than at noon on the coming Monday which obligates pension funds and employers to make payments to a work rehabilitation fund.
President of ASÍ Gylfi Arnbjörnsson. Copyright: Icelandic Photo Agency.
Such a legislation was promised in the stability pact signed by the government, ASÍ and the Confederation of Icelandic Employers (SA) in June 2009 and ASÍ feels betrayed, Morgunbladid reports.
Earlier this week, SA rifted the stability pact because of the government’s controversial legislation on changes to the monkfish quota.
President of ASÍ Gylfi Arnbjörnsson said that during meetings with the government this week, ministers had stated that only a minority of MPs from the coalition parties would support a legislation on obligated payments to the work rehabilitation fund.
Arnbjörnsson said ASÍ will not tolerate if the government goes back on its word. This is a matter of interest to one third of ASÍ’s members who work for companies outside SA, which therefore don’t make payments to the fund.
These wage earners are deprived of the right to rehabilitation at the cost of the fund, for example after a long-term illness or accident.
Arnbjörnsson would not say what will happen if the government does not submit the bill on Monday, emphasizing that no threats were made in the letter. “However, people must realize that ASÍ won’t reconcile with those who break signed agreements.”
Click here to read more about the controversial monkfish legislation.
