The Union of Public Servants SFR has announced it will vote on September 22 whether to go on strike to demand wage raises. A strike would have a significant impact on many government services, including the State Alcohol Monopoly. State liquor stores would have to close down, and the manufacturing of Icelandic snuff would come to a halt.
Again, strikes are on the horizon
Today the SFR announced it would vote on September 22 whether to initiate strike action to pressure the government to agree to the union demands. The union accuses the government of dragging its feet in the negotiations, which have been going on since March, without concrete results.
Strike action would start with work stoppages on Thursday and Friday October 15 and 16, and then again on Monday and Tuesday October 19 and 20. These strikes would then continue for several weeks, meaning SFR members would only come to work on Wednesdays as long as strike action continued.
No booze, no tobacco
The local news site visir.is points out that most of the employees of the State Alcohol Monopoly, ÁTVR, are members of SFR. There are 49 liquor stores in Iceland, all operated by the ÁTVR. All would remain closed during the days SFR members are on strike. A strike by the employees of ÁTVR would also affect the distribution of liquor to bars and restaurants. ÁTVR not only operates all liquor stores in Iceland, it also manufactures the traditional Icelandic snuff. A strike by the SFR would therefore mean Icelanders could quickly run out of alcoholic beverages and traditional Icelandic tobacco.
The Union of Public Servants SFR has announced it will vote on September 22 whether to go on strike to demand wage raises. A strike would have a significant impact on many government services, including the State Alcohol Monopoly. State liquor stores would have to close down, and the manufacturing of Icelandic snuff would come to a halt.
Again, strikes are on the horizon
Today the SFR announced it would vote on September 22 whether to initiate strike action to pressure the government to agree to the union demands. The union accuses the government of dragging its feet in the negotiations, which have been going on since March, without concrete results.
Strike action would start with work stoppages on Thursday and Friday October 15 and 16, and then again on Monday and Tuesday October 19 and 20. These strikes would then continue for several weeks, meaning SFR members would only come to work on Wednesdays as long as strike action continued.
No booze, no tobacco
The local news site visir.is points out that most of the employees of the State Alcohol Monopoly, ÁTVR, are members of SFR. There are 49 liquor stores in Iceland, all operated by the ÁTVR. All would remain closed during the days SFR members are on strike. A strike by the employees of ÁTVR would also affect the distribution of liquor to bars and restaurants. ÁTVR not only operates all liquor stores in Iceland, it also manufactures the traditional Icelandic snuff. A strike by the SFR would therefore mean Icelanders could quickly run out of alcoholic beverages and traditional Icelandic tobacco.
