Do you work in a restaurant, café, bar or hotel? Don’t let your boss put you into Virðing union!
Why?
Your wages will be (much) lower
as the collective agreement has much worse conditions than other unions
What is a collective agreement? A collective agreement is a contract between a union and employers determining minimum wages, shift bonuses, breaks, holiday and other working conditions
- With Virðing day time wages are paid from 8:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and from 8:00 to 16:00 on Saturdays. Collective agreements with other unions have day wages from 8:00 to 17:00 on weekdays. After 17:00 workers are paid a shift bonus of 33% and a 45% shift bonus on weekends.
- Even when the shift bonuses apply with Virðing they are much lower:
| Time | Virðing shift bonus | Other unions shift bonus |
| weekdays evening | 31% | 33% |
| weekend day and evening | 31% | 45% |
| weekend night | 45% | 55% |
- Efling union estimated that a worker might earn 52.000kr less a month!
- with Virðing you have less rights to holidays, breaks, maternity leave. The notice period when being laid off is shorter and there is less protection when injured at work.
Virðing union takes more money from you, but offers less services
- Unions usually take 0.7% from your paycheck as union dues, Virðing takes 1%.
- The employers pays usually around 1.5% to 2% into your union for sickness, fund, education funds, holiday funds and more. Virðing only takes 1% from your employer.
- other than holiday fund, Virðing union does not seem to run a sickness or education fund. Contrary to other unions they might not have grants for long term sickness, pay medical fees (like physiotherapy, glasses or cancer screening) or reimburse for education, like Icelandic classes!
- They do not seem to have an office or employees. Other unions have experts and lawyers to support you when you have problems at work.
Why have they been called a „fake“ union?
The Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASI) has stated that Virðing does not fulfill the requirement of a union, and has declared Virðing to be a „yellow union“ as at least two of the directors of Virðing are connected to owners of restaurants.
What is a yellow union? Unions are traditionally formed by workers, who organise together to bargain with their employers for better working conditions. A yellow union is an association, which is formed by employers and not workers
Unions are usually a democratic organisation, formed by workers who then vote for the board of the union. Additionally when a collective agreement is made, union members can vote in favour or reject it. The directors of Virðing appointed themselves and no worker voted on the collective agreement the signed with the employers.
This is not the first time a union appeared out of nowhere and created a collective agreement before they even had a single member: https://iwwisland.org/2021/06/14/let-me-iceplain-this-play-air/
However, this time a collective agreement was already in place for workers working in the restaurant industry, and no worker should have to accept these conditions.
How is this possible in Iceland?
How do I know if my boss has put me in Virðing or is trying to?
Check your contract when being offered a job. Your union should be on there. Your boss might also be taking the opportunity to change the union when extending or renewing a contract.
If you are not given a contract, you can check which union you are in on your payslip.
You can also see if your bonuses for evening and weekend shifts are paid correctly (33% from 17:00 on on weekends, 45% on weekends etc) on your payslip.
I think my boss put me in Virðing. What do I do?
- You can let Efling union know
- Your boss cannot decide for in which union you are. It is your right to choose. However, in Iceland it has been common practice for bosses to fire „difficult“ workers. Here are some tips to be safe:
- Talk to your co-workers first. If you all ask together to change union, you are much safer as the workplace does not run without you!
- Address the issue in written form (email, text, message). Always have a paper trail!
Do you have questions? Need help to know which union you are in? Want advise on how to talk to your co-workers, which steps to take? Send us a message!
An injury to one is an injury to all