Teachers demand over one million krónur monthly salary amidst strike threats in Iceland

The head of the municipal negotiations committee is pessimistic about reaching an agreement between teachers and local authorities before a planned strike. Teachers are demanding a salary of over one million Icelandic krónur per month.

A meeting has been called for salary discussions between teachers and the government as mediators. The parties met recently after a court ruling deemed the teachers’ strike notice legal. They aim for a lengthy session today to reach a compromise, yet significant differences remain, increasing the likelihood of strikes occurring at the end of the month. If conditions stay the same, strikes will commence on Tuesday.

The head of the municipal negotiations committee, Inga Rún Ólafsdóttir, is not optimistic about canceling the strikes. Teachers seek salaries aligned with the average earnings of public sector specialists. Inga Rún points out the challenges of meeting such demands, noting that the rights of public employees differ from those in the general labor market.

She emphasized that if the million-kronor salary request is accepted, it must come with the same conditions that apply to specialists in the general market. This would entail significant reductions in benefits, such as shorter summer breaks and diminished paid continuing education time, as general market specialists do not enjoy similar rights.

Strikes are scheduled to begin in nine schools on October 29, with additional schools to follow in November.