Bjarni says VR is unlikely to get a better deal than other workers

It is not generally how wage negotiations work for VR to secure more than other groups of workers, Bjarni Benediktsson, managing director of the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise, told mbl.is as final talks began on Thursday.

Bjarni and representatives of VR and Fagfélögin were meeting to decide whether to terminate or extend their agreements. VR appeared to bring a new proposal from the government to the talks. Bjarni said it could help move negotiations forward, but added: “I can’t say. We’ll have to see.”

Asked about VR chair Halla Gunnarsdóttir’s claim that the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise had brought nothing to the table, Bjarni rejected the criticism. He said several companies had pledged to freeze prices and help curb inflation in the coming months and into next year. He also said the confederation had reached an agreement with a large part of the workforce to shorten the term of their contracts and had discussed the same issues with VR.

Bjarni said a failure to reach an agreement did not mean that nothing had been proposed. “It just means that the parties have not reached agreement,” he said.

Asked whether VR, Fagfélögin and LÍV could receive more than the other groups, after a broader coalition had already signed an extension, Bjarni replied: “That is not generally how it works.” He declined to say whether employers could make a new offer, saying he was heading into the meeting.

Bjarni and Halla appeared relaxed as they arrived for the talks. They were heard discussing Monopoly: Bjarni said he had recently played the game with his daughter, while Halla said she had bought a set in Nashville, where the streets included names such as Honky Tonk Street.