For the past three weeks our union, Starfsgreinasambandið (SGS), has been negotiating a new comprehensive wage agreement with our counterpart, the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise (SA).

In accordance with Icelandic law, these talks have been held under the auspices of the state conciliation and mediation officer.

Our main objectives have been a general improvement in wages, fewer hours of work per week, various coordination efforts in the labour market, as well as other important points.

In some areas, we have made clear progress, in others discussions have moved in the right direction, whereas other issues are still unresolved. For the time being, however, no further advances in the negotiations are foreseeable.

That said, our work so far has been quite useful and will serve us well in the weeks ahead.

The SGS Negotiations Committee has resolved that unless SA brings forth meaningful ideas and acceptable gestures for conciliation in the coming days, the negotiating team has its full mandate to declare the talks unsuccessful and hence terminate them without further notice.