There are no regulations that prevent Efling Union from paying workers during the lockout set to begin on March 2, according to the union’s Vice-Chair Agnieszka Ewa Ziółkowska. The statement contrasts with previous assertions from the union’s Chairperson Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir, who has stated that Efling would not make payouts to workers in the case of a lockout. In a post on her Facebook page, Agnieszka stated not providing financial support to workers affected by the lockout would be Sólveig’s personal decision, and criticised Sólveig for being “willing to have her low-wage members suffer.”
The Icelandic Confederation of Enterprise (SA) has approved a lockout of some 20,000 workers set to begin on March 2, the latest escalation in a fraught collective agreement negotiation between SA and Efling. During the lockout, Efling workers would not be permitted to show up to their employment. As such, they would not receive wages, accrue leave, or receive pension payments. Efling is currently paying striking members from its labour dispute fund, but a notice from the union stated that it would not make payments in the case of a lockout. According to the notice, “the union does not hold responsibility for a lockout and the labour dispute fund cannot sustain such payments.”
“The members of Efling have the right to know that the rules of the union aren’t stopping their chairman from paying from the fund in the case of the [lockout],” Agnieszka wrote on Facebook. “Its just her decision.” Agnieszka added that paying workers affected by the lockout was the “right thing” to do.
