Optimism grows among expatriate doctors in Iceland amid wage negotiations

There is optimism about new agreements capturing the attention of expatriate doctors amid ongoing wage negotiations between the Icelandic Medical Association and the government, according to Steinunn Þórðardóttir, the association’s chair. Discussions took place recently, with further meetings scheduled as the threat of a doctor strike looms closer.

If no agreement is reached, doctors across all workplaces will go on strike from November 25 to 28, and then again on December 3–5, 9–12, and 16–18, with each strike lasting from midnight until noon. There will be a pause in strike actions from December 20 to January 5, 2025, before they resume in the same pattern on January 6, continuing until the week of Easter.

The negotiations have proven lengthy and involved, with both sides engaging in significant preparatory work. The current situation places pressure on achieving a middle ground, especially concerning better working hours. Steinunn acknowledged the ongoing issue of long hours for doctors, which stems from a shortage in the workforce, emphasizing the dire nature of the impending strike as a last resort.

The association hopes that improved working conditions and compensation will attract more doctors back to Iceland, especially given the over 400 specialist physicians currently practicing abroad who have yet to return home.

With just over two weeks until planned actions commence, the association acknowledges the need for a careful approach to negotiations, as both parties express a strong desire to reach an agreement before any strike takes place. More than 95% of doctors have already voted in favor of the strike on November 25 if an agreement is not reached by then.