No media access to negotiators

Ástráður Haraldsson, the state conciliation and meditation officer has imposed a media ban in connection with the wage negotiations of the broad coalition of trade unions and the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise.

A mbl.is reporter arrived at the Karphusið at 9.30 this morning and intended to take the pulse of the negotiating parties, but received a message from Haraldsson that they were not allowed to speak to the media. Soon after, a journalist was ordered to leave the Karphusið offices, as well as a reporter from Stöð 2 and a cameraman together with Vísir's photographer.

The negotiation meeting between the United coalition of unions and the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise began at 10 am. in Karphusið, but the parties to the agreement met for almost four hours yesterday.

Haraldsson told mbl.is after the meeting that the parties to the agreement have found a way to start talking again and while that conversation is alive there is hope that it can lead to something.​