College teachers in Iceland went on a 3-week strike mid-March this year, affecting 21,000 students across the country. In April, airport ground staff at airports across the country took strike action which resulted in a number of flights being delayed and some even cancelled. Thankfully, both these groups reached agreements they found acceptable and returned to their positions.
Icelandair pilots went on a 12-hour work stoppage on May 9th causing multiple flights to be cancelled and/or delayed even into the following day. The strike was detrimental to the Icelandic economy which survives largely off of the tourist industry, and on Thursday May 15th, Parliament passed a bill making it illegal for Icelandair pilots to go on their second planned strike, scheduled for May 16th. A spokeperson for the Pilots Union (FÍA) says that pilots feel that the ban intereferes with their human rights as citizens of a democratic republic.
Whilst the pilots are back in their seats, flight attendants with Icelandair have annouced work stoppages later May and in early June.
If contracts will not be renewed by June 19th (or another bill passed in Parliament?), Icelandair is unlikely to be able to continue its operation until further notice.
Practical nurses went on an 8-hour temporary strike on Monday, and are likely to strike again on Monday next week and as reported by mbl.is, there is no end in sight in their wage dispute. Twenty nursing homes are affected by the strike, and whilst other non-nursing staff is allowed to work, they are not allowed to execute procedures practical nurses are in charge of within the homes.
Teachers, airport ground staff, pilots, practical nurses, flight attendants. All these professions have two things in common: 1) All require higher wages and better working conditions 2) Within the first six months of 2014, they have announced or taken strike action.
College teachers in Iceland went on a 3-week strike mid-March this year, affecting 21,000 students across the country. In April, airport ground staff at airports across the country took strike action which resulted in a number of flights being delayed and some even cancelled. Thankfully, both these groups reached agreements they found acceptable and returned to their positions.
Icelandair pilots went on a 12-hour work stoppage on May 9th causing multiple flights to be cancelled and/or delayed even into the following day. The strike was detrimental to the Icelandic economy which survives largely off of the tourist industry, and on Thursday May 15th, Parliament passed a bill making it illegal for Icelandair pilots to go on their second planned strike, scheduled for May 16th. A spokeperson for the Pilots Union (FÍA) says that pilots feel that the ban intereferes with their human rights as citizens of a democratic republic.
Whilst the pilots are back in their seats, flight attendants with Icelandair have annouced work stoppages later May and in early June.
If contracts will not be renewed by June 19th (or another bill passed in Parliament?), Icelandair is unlikely to be able to continue its operation until further notice.
Practical nurses went on an 8-hour temporary strike on Monday, and are likely to strike again on Monday next week and as reported by mbl.is, there is no end in sight in their wage dispute. Twenty nursing homes are affected by the strike, and whilst other non-nursing staff is allowed to work, they are not allowed to execute procedures practical nurses are in charge of within the homes.
