Húsavík Labour Union Office

The Húsavík Labour Union Office is a collaboration  of four unions that represent more than 2.000 workers in Húsavík and the Þingeyjarsýsla-area.  Its members include unskilled labour workers, trade and commercial workers, government and municipal workers as well as construction and industrial workers in the area, so the members come from many different areas of the labour market.

The unions represent members in the food sector(production and catering services), unskilled employees in the health sector, public sector workers, transport services workers, workers in hotels, restaurant and shops, skilled and unskilled construction and industry workers as well as office workers in the private, state and municipal sector and fishermen.

The Unions are members of national contracts regarding general wages and terms and also have individual agreements with local companies.
The unions have 7 main agreements with employers depending on the sector involved.  They have various special agreements with companies in the area and were the first Icelandic unions to make a collective agreement with a foreign worker service provider with workers stationed in Iceland.

The services provided by the Union Offices can be divided into a four sectors.

1. Information and assistance:

Giving information on collective (wage) agreements between the unions and the employers.
Giving information on employees rights according to the law.
Assisting with wage calculations, the interpretation of wages and terms and the resolution of industrial disputes.
Assisting with the making of employment contracts.
Offering legal help and consultation to all its members, including collection of wage claims, e.g. in connection with corporate bankruptcies.
Publishing a newsletter several times a year notifying members of their rights, e.g. as regards wage increases, vacation and December premiums and legally-required rest periods.

2. Sickness and health

The unions have a sick-relief fund that pays sick benefits to those members who have fulfilled minimum requirements regarding the fund and are unable to work due to illness.
The fund pays sick-pay allowances after the end of sick-leave entitlement (with 80% wages) for up to 180 days.
The fund also pays daily allowances (80% of wages) for up to 90 days in connection with absence from work due to illness of a spouse or children under the age of 16.
It also subsidizes costs in connection with physiotherapy, cancer-screening examinations, check-ups at the Icelandic Heart Association and the Heart and Lung Centre as well as other health-programs.

3. Holidays and travel

The unions have 4 apartments in Reykjavík and several all-year holiday cottages that members can rent for a modest price.  During the summer holidays additional cottages all around Iceland are available for members.  Members can also purchase discount-tickets for rooms in Fosshotels and Edda-hotels as well a discount-tickets for the Hvalfjörður-tunnel.

4. Education

The unions support members in efforts to further their education i.e. if they go to school, take courses in vocational education or if they take hobby courses.
The unions work with Húsavík academic center (Þekkingarsetur Þingeyinga) on scheduling courses in Icelandic and vocational education as well as other interesting courses.

For furhter information call the office on: 464-6600 or send an e-mail to: huld@framsyn.is

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