VR Board Votes to End Wage Agreements as Deadline Nears

VR’s board voted unanimously on Wednesday evening to terminate its collective wage agreements on Thursday, October 8. The deadline to give notice is 16:00.

The reported decision marks a further step beyond the earlier authorisation to terminate the agreements. According to Halla Gunnarsdóttir, the trade union’s presiding officer, the contracts would expire on 31 October if notice were given. However, there remains the possibility of negotiating a solution.

Thursday Notice Unless Wage Talks Produce a Solution

• VR’s board has voted to terminate its wage agreements, according to its chair.
• Formal notice must be given before 16:00 on 8 October.
• The agreements would expire on 31 October; the vote is not a strike announcement.

A Split Remains Between Union Negotiating Groups

VR, LÍV and Fagfélögin have been negotiating over whether the assumptions behind the 2024 agreements still hold. Their concerns include inflation and the loss of purchasing power.

Halla told Vísir on 7 October that the board had approved termination but employers’ organisation Samtök atvinnulífsins had not yet been formally notified. SA chair Jón Ólafur Halldórsson said he and its chief executive would remain available for talks on Thursday.

The development follows the unions’ earlier authorisation to terminate agreements. Other major unions have taken a different course, extending their agreements through 2027.

VR’s own statement sets out the Thursday deadline and its willingness to reach an agreement. The board vote does not, by itself, confirm that notice has been served or that industrial action will take place.

Sources: Vísir interview with Halla Gunnarsdóttir; VR statement.

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