Faroese unions demand higher wage increases than public sector deal

Unions representing workers in the Faroe Islands have rejected this year’s 3.87 percent wage increase agreed upon in the public sector, calling instead for significantly higher pay rises in upcoming negotiations, Kringvarp Føroya reports.

Heri Reynheim, chair of the Havnar Arbeiðarafelag union in Tórshavn, stated that price increases on essential goods have outpaced wage growth, even as inflation declines. “There will be a demand for a substantially larger wage increase in the central negotiations to come,” Reynheim said.

The current collective bargaining agreement between worker unions and the Faroese Employers’ Association expires on 1 May, with new talks expected soon.

A recent voter survey by polling firm Lóður for Kringvarp Føroya found that economic stability (32 percent) and cost of living (23 percent) are the top concerns influencing Faroese voters ahead of parliamentary elections.

Tags: faroe islands, wages, unions