June 18, 2026

Happy Women's Rights Day!

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June 18, 2026

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Efling union wishes its female members and all women in the country a happy Women's Rights Day. Today, June 19, 111 years have passed since Icelandic women, 40 years and older, gained the right to vote and run for the Althing. In 1920, with the adoption of a new constitution, the age limit was lowered to 25 years. 


Women's Rights Day is a holiday, but it is also a day of struggle. The situation is that on the Icelandic labor market equality between the genders is far from being achieved. Efling women have tried this on their own. 


According to the results of surveys by the Labor Market Research Institute, Efling women are in the most difficult position on the Icelandic labor market. A large portion of them have difficulty making ends meet, the mental health of about half of them is extinguished and more than half are heading towards burnout. 


This will not be done. Efling women, and other working women, keep Icelandic society going. They are the ones who keep the wheel of industry turning, who take care of children, the elderly and the sick. They deserve respect and humane conditions, and they deserve to be valued at their worth. That is a demand Efling on Women’s Rights Day, as well as every other day. 



Happy Women's Rights Day. 


By Freyr Efling 19 June 2026
Efling Union extends its warmest congratulations to its women members and to all women in Iceland on Women's Rights Day. Today, 19 June, marks 111 years since Icelandic women aged 40 and over got the right to vote and stand for election to the Althingi, Iceland's Parliament. In 1920, with the adoption of a new Constitution, the voting age for women was lowered to 25. Women's Rights Day is a day of celebration, but above all, it is a day of struggle. True gender equality has yet to be achieved in the Icelandic labour market, and Efling's women members know this from first-hand experience. According to surveys conducted by Varða, the Labour Market Research Institute, Efling's women members face some of the most difficult conditions in the Icelandic labour market. A large proportion struggle to make ends meet, around half report poor mental health, and more than half are at risk of burnout. This is unacceptable. Efling's women members, along with working women across Iceland, keep society running. They are the driving force behind the economy, caring for children, older people, and those who are ill. They deserve respect, decent pay and working conditions, and recognition for the invaluable contribution they make. That is Efling's demand on Women's Rights Day, and every other day of the year. Happy Women's Rights Day.
By Freyr Efling 17. júní 2026
Efling Union wishes its members and everyone in Iceland a happy National Day on 17 June. Efling would like to remind members who are working today that 17 June is a public holiday classified as a major holiday under collective agreements, and work performed today must be paid at the applicable major holiday rate. Efling also encourages its Icelandic members to make their international colleagues aware of this entitlement. Our work creates the value!
By Freyr Efling 12. júní 2026
Efling Union wishes its members and the people of the country a happy National Day, 17 June. Efling would like to remind its members who are working today that 17 June is a major public holiday and that wages for work today must be paid with a major holiday premium. Efling also encourages its Icelandic members to draw the attention of their foreign colleagues to this as well. Our work creates the value!
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