Collective Agreements, Committees

Illustration of people talking together and working at a desk.

Numerous committees are operating that deal with collective wage agreements and salary terms for Reykjavík City employees. These are the negotiation committee, employment terms and cooperation committees, wage affairs committee, and wage committee.

Collective wage agreements; the negotiation committee, the wage affairs committee, the wage committee.

The Reykjavík City Negotiation Committee is appointed by the Mayor. The City Executive Council authorized the Mayor by its resolution on February 28, 1989, to manage collective bargaining on behalf of Reykjavík City, referring to Article 3 of Act No. 94/1986 on Collective Agreements for Public Employees and Act No. 80/1938 on Trade Unions and Labor Disputes.



The Mayor appointed members to the Committee on October 24, 2022.

The members of the Reykjavík City Negotiation Committee include:

  • Rakel Guðmundsdóttir, chair
  • Kolbeinn Guðmundsson, deputy chair
  • Einar Geir Þorsteinsson
  • Íris Jóhannsdóttir
  • Anna Guðmundsdóttir
  • Ásdís Ásbjörnsdóttir
  • Margrét Grétarsdóttir
  • Ragnheiður E Stefánsdóttir
  • Haukur Þór Haraldsson, committee staff member

Employment terms and cooperation committees

Representatives from the negotiation committee, along with representatives from city institutions and companies, serve on numerous cooperation committees with various labor unions based on collective agreements and handle issues that may arise between contract periods. The employment conditions committee (cooperation committee) was first established for the Reykjavík City Employees' Union by the City Executive Council's approval on December 19, 1947.

Reykjavík City bargaining parties include about 25 trade unions.

Wage Affairs Committee

The board of the Association appoints the wage affairs committee, which advises the board and negotiation committee on labor market issues, collective agreement negotiations, and preparation of wage policy and negotiation objectives for the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities. The committee includes representatives from the Association's board and specialists in municipal wage affairs.

The Association's board sets objectives and shapes the Association's wage policy, and the chair of the Association's negotiation committee along with the Association's executive director are responsible for ensuring that the Association's objectives and policies in collective agreement negotiations are followed. The negotiation committee of the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities holds negotiation authority for Reykjavík City regarding the Association of Icelandic Musicians and the Icelandic Teachers' Union, covering the Association of Primary School Teachers, the Association of School Principals in Iceland, the Association of Music Teachers, the Association of Preschool Teachers, and the Association of Preschool Administrators.

The chair of Reykjavík City's negotiation committee holds a seat on the negotiation committee of the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities in wage negotiations with the aforementioned unions and in discussions with the National Association of Firefighters and Paramedics. The chair also attends wage affairs committee meetings when matters related to these wage negotiations are discussed.

On behalf of the city, the following serves on the wage affairs committee:

  • Lóa Birna Birgisdóttir

Wage Committee

The wage committee operates under the authority of the City Executive Council and determines salaries and other employment terms for those who fall under the committee as per Article 1 of the rules on rights and obligations of senior executives of Reykjavík City.

When determining salaries and other employment terms for executives, the wage committee should consider wage developments at Reykjavík City and municipalities in general, in addition to considering salaries and wage developments of comparable groups at the state level. The wage committee must also ensure equality and equity principles in salary determinations. The wage committee should consider the general status and development of wage matters in the labor market.

Email: kjaranefnd@reykjavik.is

The Wage Committee is composed of:

  • Ólafur Darri Andrason, chair
  • Erna Guðmundsdóttir, deputy chair
  • Guðbjörg Andrea Jónsdóttir

Alternates:

  • Runólfur Leifsson
  • Angantýr Einarsson
  • Drífa Sigurðardóttir

The role of the Wage Committee / Resolution for the Reykjavík Wage Committee