Talks are in progress towards the amalgamation of a number of seamen’s unions in Iceland. The aim is to establish a stronger organisation ahead of the coming negotiations over labour agreements with vessel owners’ body SFS.
The Eyjafjörður Fishermen’s Association, the Grindavík Fishermen’s and Engineers’ Association, the Icelandic Fishermen’s Association, the Hafnarfjörður Fishermen’s Association and the Jötun Fishermen’s Association and possibly more have been working towards a forming a united organisation and according to a spokesman for the Icelandic Fishermen’s Association, progress has been made and the aim is now in sight.
‘We will continue with this and hope that we will soon be able to make a presentation of what such an organisation will look like,’ he said.
‘It will be the members of these associations who will have the final word on this.’
‘The intention is to set up a large, influential organisation that is able to support our fishermen. By doing this we can join forces and generate a basis for boosting all of our energies, not least with the labour agreement negotiations with SFS that are ahead of us.’
