Teachers' strikes resume

The state mediator, Ástráður Haraldsson.

The state mediator, Ástráður Haraldsson. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson

The teachers' strike action will resume today and will cover fourteen preschools and seven primary schools.

The negotiation meeting between teachers, the state, and municipalities ended at around ten o'clock last night without agreement.

Ástráður Haraldsson, the state mediator, submitted an internal proposal in the wage dispute on Thursday, which included, among other things, that the dispute over equalization of wages between markets would be resolved by evaluating the value of teachers' jobs.

The Icelandic Association of Local Authorities board approved the proposal on Friday, but teachers did not agree to it in the form that Haraldsson presented it. They demanded changes to certain terms, which were discussed yesterday and today.

The state and municipal bargaining committees were unable to agree to those changes.

"We have thoroughly examined it, but we cannot reach an agreement," Haraldsson says.

He sees no reason to call another meeting with everything unchanged.

The same four kindergartens

The teachers' strike action started again this morning in fourteen kindergartens and seven primary schools across the country, affecting around 5,000 children and their families. Strike action in kindergartens is indefinite, while strike action in primary schools is temporary.

The Icelandic Association of Secondary School Teachers has also announced that a vote on indefinite strike action in several secondary schools will be held at the beginning of the week.

180 / 5.000 "It cannot be overlooked that although the …

180 / 5.000 "It cannot be overlooked that although the right to strike is undisputed, children are required to attend school and have a constitutional right to education and training," says the ombudsman. mbl.is/Karítas

The situation is serious and disappointing

The Children's Ombudsman has issued a statement regarding the teachers' strike. It states that the state of wage negotiations between the member unions of the Icelandic Teachers' Union and the Association of Icelandic Local Authorities on the one hand and the state on the other is very disappointing.

The Ombudsman is also very concerned about children who are in a vulnerable situation.

It states that it is particularly serious that strike action will again affect children in the four kindergartens that were on strike from October 29 to November 29.

He says that it is important that special attention is paid to the situation of disabled children and that this vulnerable group of children is prevented from experiencing service disruptions.

Parents' case against teachers dismissed

The Reykjavík District Court has dismissed the parents' claim against the Icelandic Teachers' Union that strike action targeting four kindergartens was unlawful. The union was also acquitted of the parents' claim for damages.

The main hearing of the case was on Wednesday and the case was given an expedited hearing.

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