Teachers in Iceland prepare for prolonged strikes as over 2,000 schoolchildren affected

Teachers in Iceland are preparing for the possibility that strikes may extend beyond the New Year, as over 2,000 schoolchildren have been forced to stay home recently due to the strike initiated by the Icelandic Teachers’ Association. Negotiations with the state and municipalities have made little progress.

The teachers’ strike, which affects around 1,200 elementary school students, an even larger number of preschoolers, and approximately 800 high school students, began earlier this week after multiple attempts to reach an agreement at the negotiation table.

Inga Rún Ólafsdóttir, chair of the municipal negotiation committee, stated that discussions would continue today, emphasizing the importance of dialogue: “It is crucial that we sit down and talk. That is the current situation. We will meet at one o’clock and continue the conversation.”

Teachers have already voted in favor of strikes at more schools later this year, including Árbæjarskóli in Reykjavík, Garðaskóli in Garðabær, and Heiðarskóli in Reykjanesbær.

Magnús Þór Jónsson, leader of the Teachers’ Association, did not rule out that strikes could continue into 2025. He noted, “We must consider the possibility of calling for schools to prepare for actions in 2025 or whether to increase the number of schools involved before Christmas. Our aim is for the actions to aid in resolving the situation.”