The agreements between the Icelandic Seamen’s Union Sjómannasamband Íslands (SÍ) and employers’ federation SFS have been thrown out by the Union’s membership, raising the likelihood of a strike that could last into the New Year.
76% of the Union’s members voted against the agreement that was reached last month after a short strike, and the memberships of three other seamen’s unions also voted the agreements down.
The strike was called for 2000 on Wednesday and the prospect is that the fleet will be tied up until next year as negotiations will have to be reconvened. There appears to be little likelihood of any kind of agreement this side of Christmas and negotiations could start between Christmas and New Yeary.
A spokesperson for SFS said that the result is a huge disappointment as in the last round of negotiations, many of the union demands had been met.
