Sameyki fears Reykjavík cuts will weaken basic services

Sameyki, a trade union, fears planned efficiency measures by Reykjavík City Council’s majority will reduce basic services for residents and lead to job losses among its members, mbl.is reports. Union chairman Kári Sigurðsson says that dismissals would not make the associated tasks disappear.

“When the first efficiency measures became clear to us at Sameyki, I expressed our concerns about them. We could not clearly see the plan, other than cuts,” Kári told Morgunblaðið.

Reykjavík Mayor Hildur Björnsdóttir has said the city council majority intends to focus on tasks it is required to provide, many of which concern groups in the most vulnerable position. She has also said the city must determine whether some areas are being over-served, with services provided far beyond those offered by neighbouring municipalities.

Kári says he understood that basic city services would not be cut, but now believes that may not be the case. Reykjavík has led in providing services to people with the greatest needs and lowest incomes, he says. While some services are required by law, others, such as social centre services, are not statutory but are nevertheless basic services.

He fears the planned efficiencies will affect services for lower-income groups as well as Sameyki members. Nearly 6,000 members of the union work for the city.

“These matters directly concern our members because Sameyki members work across all of the city’s services,” Kári said. He added that it was clear to him that the efficiency measures would affect some members, potentially through redundancies.

“We want the city’s tax revenue to be used well, but it is a different matter if basic services are cut. In my view, it is not enough to rely solely on legally required services, and I cannot imagine that this is how all the city’s residents see it,” he said.

Kári said it was understandable that the city wanted to reduce labour costs, but he was concerned about what would happen to the work itself.

“I find it difficult to see how services can be cut without the tasks being outsourced to other parties. If the city succeeds in reducing labour costs, that will lead to higher costs for purchased services. It is also worth asking where responsibility lies, especially when it comes to the most vulnerable groups,” he said.