History Efling

The founding of Efling and mergers

Efling Trade Union was founded in December 1998 and began operating at the turn of the year 1999. The union was created through the merger of Dagsbrún and Framsókn Unions with the Sókn Workers' Union and the Restaurant Workers' Union.

The following year, Efling merged with Iðja, the factory workers' union in Reykjavík, and on January 1, 2009, it merged with the workers' and fishermen's union Boðinn. The mergers increased membership, strengthened the union, and significantly expanded its operational area.

Roots Efling – Dawn and the beginning of the labour movement in Iceland

Roots Efling ná all the way to the year 1906 when the oldest predecessor of the association, Workers' Association Dagsbrún, was foundedð í Reykjavík. Það marked a turning point, því í the first time ordinary workers organized themselves into a union to protect their interests.

For decades, Dagsbrún was one of the most powerful and largest trade unions in Iceland. Many social reforms and workers' rights in the last century can be attributed to the union's struggle, in collaboration with other unions and the Icelandic Confederation of Labour.

Preparations for the establishment of Dagsbrún began at the end of 1905, and at the founding meeting in January 1906, 384 workers joined the union. Its charter stated, among other things:

„Vér, sem ritum nöfn vor hér undir ákveðum hér með að stofna félag með oss, er vér nefnum: Verkamannafélagið Dagsbrún.

Mark og mið þessa félags á að vera:

1. To strengthen and promote the welfare and employment of the association's members.
2. To establish better organization for all day work.
   
3. To limit work on all Saturdays and Sundays.
   
4. To increase culture and brotherly solidarity within the union.
   
5. "To support members who suffer accidents or other mishaps as much as possible ."
   
   

In 1913, Dagsbrún led the first strike actions in Reykjavík. They led to great success: a ten-hour workday was introduced and employers recognized Dagsbrún as the workers' legitimate bargaining agent.

The first chairman of Dagsbrún was Sigurður Sigurðsson a councilor. Among the other most influential leaders were Héðinn Valdimarsson, member of parliament of the People's Party and later the Socialist Party, who held the chairmanship for 15 years in four separate periods (1922–1941), Eðvarð Sigurðsson, member of parliament of the People's Alliance and chairman from 1961 to 1982, and Guðmundur J. Guðmundsson (Guðmundur Jaki) who led the union 1982–1996.

The Women's Workers Association Framsókn

Women's Workers' Association Framsókn was founded in Reykjavík in October 1914 by 68 women from Kvenréttindafélagi Íslands. At the founding meeting, Jónína Jónatansdóttir, the main initiator of the association's establishment, was elected chairman and served for the first two decades.

Á At the founding meeting was Jónína Jónatansdóttir, the main driving force at the establishment of the association, elected chairman and held the office for the first two decades. In the board of the association there were also women at the table with Bríeti Bjarnhéðinsdóttur, city councilor in Reykjavík and publisher of the Women's Forum, who became the first woman to run for the Parliament.

The union's first bylaws stated:

„To support and strengthen the interests and employment of female workers.
To bring better organization to all their daily wage work.
To limit work on all holidays.
To strengthen the culture and solidarity of the association.“

Framsókn fought for better wages for female workers who worked alongside men but were paid less. Despite resistance from employers, the union achieved increasing success, including wage increases, shorter working hours, and recognition of coffee breaks. Framsókn also fought for equal pay for both sexes—a struggle that left a lasting mark on the labor movement.

Only five women served as chairwomen of the union until the merger with Dagsbrún in 1998. Jónína was succeeded by Jóhanna Egilsdóttir, a city councillor and later a deputy member of parliament, who served as chairwoman for 27 years (1935–1962). The last chairwoman was Ragna Bergmann (1982–1998).

Sókn Working Girls' Association

The Working Girls' Association Sókn was founded 20 July 1934. Founding members were 26, but a year later they had become 56. The first chairman was Álheiður Hólm, then only 18 years old.

The Labour Newspaper (Verkalýðsblaðið) of November 5, 1935 states:

„The Working Girls' Association ‘Sókn’, which is hardly more than a year old, has in this short time managed to raise wages at the state hospitals considerably and now, with this agreement, greatly improved the conditions of these girls.“

Sókn joined the Icelandic Confederation of Labour on 18 June 1935. At that time there were about 80 association women, mostly working girls in hospitals and homes in Reykjavík.

In 1960 the basic wages of the Sóknar girls 3,211.25 kronur per month, which equals about 144,000 kronur at the price level of the year 2025. In the article Margrét Auðunsdóttir, chairperson of the association, at the general meeting in January 1960 said:

"We are told that we live beyond our means and spend too much. Wouldn't those good government economists calculate how much a girl who wants to dress decently and have some fun would have to save on these wages? The government could help them and tell them how much the wives and daughters of the authorities spend on clothing."

In 1977 the association changed its name and became the Workers' Association Sókn.

Restaurant Worker's Union

The union was founded in 1950. Aðalheiður Hólm, former chairman of Sókn, described the founding of it in an interview with the work 1. November 1985:

"Many of them worked in shifts and I remember once coming to a room out west in town where the girls took turns sleeping and resting – they had to share the room and the beds in this way. It was difficult to get in touch with these girls and most of them were frightened. Jón Rafnsson and I would walk around town at night and meet the girls, going into every café and having lemonade, trying to find ways to chat with the girls. At Hotel Borg it was hard to reach the staff, but we managed to have a secret meeting with the employees in a room that a friend of Jón's had rented at the time."

The union was founded shortly afterwards and became an important participant in the fight for the rights of service workers in restaurants and accommodations.

Iðja – factory workers' union

Iðja, association of factory workers in Reykjavík, was founded 18 October 1934, in the middle of the Great Depression. Founding members were 36, and the first chairman was Runólfur Pétursson.

Í sögu Alþýðusambands Íslands segir að sumir atvinnurekendur hafi neitað að viðurkenna félagið. Björn Bjarnason, síðar forystumaður Iðju, lýsir viðbrögðum félaganna:

“This was responded to by us literally taking over the company building. We carried the staff out onto the street and surrounded the building with the help of unemployed workers. […] This led the company owners to enter into negotiations with us immediately after noon the same day.”

The Workers' and Seamen's Association Boðinn

Verkalýðs- og sjómannafélagið Boðinn átti rætur að rekja til eldri verkalýðsfélaga á Suðurlandi, m.a. Smábænda- og verkalýðsfélags Ölfushrepps, sem árið 1939 taldi 30 félagsmenn. Boðinn starfaði á svæði sem náði yfir Þorlákshöfn, Hveragerði og nágrannasveitir og tók virkan þátt í verkalýðsbaráttu svæðisins.

From and including 1 January 2009 merged Boðinn Efling-union.

Efling today

Since the founding in 1998 there were about 14,000 members in Efling. In 2024 they paid 36,000 people to the association, which makes it that it is the largest trade union federation in the country and the longest-standing workers' union in Iceland.

The main negotiators of the association are The Confederation of Business, Reykjavík City, the Confederation of Companies in Health Services, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs and The Wage Committee of municipalities.

The union runs many funds that support the union's work and services for members, including health fund, unemployment fund, vacation fund and association fund.

First chairman Efling was Halldór Björnsson (1998–2000). He was followed by Sigurður Bessason, who held the chairmanship until the year 2018. Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir took office in 2018 and was re-elected in 2022.

Efling board of directors consists of 15 members, its representative council has 130 delegates, and each of the union's funds is managed by a five-member board.