Get involved

Union representatives play a key role in Efling’s work. The union places strong emphasis on increasing their number and providing them with training and support. According to collective agreements, members at workplaces with five or more union members can elect a union representative.

The union representative is the point of contact between employees and the union at the workplace. Their role is to help ensure that collective agreements are followed, that rights are respected, and to support members with workplace-related issues. They also share information from the union with members and communicate workplace issues back to the union when needed.

Union representatives attend monthly full-day training sessions from September to May. The training is demanding but rewarding, with a strong focus on practical skills and active participation. The languages of the training are Icelandic and English.

The requirements for becoming a union representative are that you are a member of Efling, do not hold a managerial position with authority to hire or dismiss other Efling members, and have a confirmed mandate from your co-workers.

If you would like to become a shop steward or assist in appointing a shop steward at your workplace, you can view more information here.

The duties and appointment of trustees are discussed in a special regulation that the company's board has set.

The Delegate Council is the highest decision-making body of the union between general meetings. It consists of 130 members, including the union’s Executive Board. The term of the Delegate Council is two years, starting on 1 January in odd-numbered years and ending at the close of the following calendar year.

The Delegate Council meets once a month during the winter season.

The Board of Trustees is discussed in more detail in Articles 15 and 26 of the Association's bylaws , and the appointment of the Board is usually based on a proposal from a nomination committee. Elections are held in November of the second year of the outgoing Board of Trustees' term.

As elections approach, an announcement is sent by email to all members, published on the union’s website, and may also be shared on the union’s social media channels. Members are invited to put themselves forward as candidates.

Serving on the Delegate Council is a good way to gain insight into the union’s work and take an active role. Meetings regularly cover developments in collective bargaining and other issues within the labour movement. The Chair presides over meetings, and guest speakers are sometimes invited. Open discussion is always encouraged, and members are free to raise any issues under “Other matters.” 

Monthly council meetings are usually held in the Efling at 6 p.m. on Thursdays. The house opens half an hour earlier and refreshments are served. Meetings are interpreted between Icelandic and English and an effort is made to have material presented translated into both Icelandic and English. See the current council of trustees and meeting minutes here.

The only requirement for standing for election to the Delegate Council is to be a full member of the union. Members become full members automatically after paying membership dues for six months, unless they have requested otherwise. You can check your status on your personal page under “My Pages”.

Members of Efling have a direct and significant influence on how the union’s funds are used and how its activities are carried out through their participation on fund boards and standing committees. These bodies play a key role in ensuring that members’ rights remain the priority.

The Board of Efling is responsible for the overall governance of the union between general meetings. It holds collective responsibility for the union’s finances and assets. Board meetings are generally held once a month.

The Board consists of 15 members: a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and 11 Board members. The term of office is two years, and elections are held annually.

To ensure continuity in leadership, seven Board members are elected each year to serve staggered two-year terms. The Chair is elected for a two-year term. Elections for the Board and the auditors are held annually, no later than the end of March.

A five-member nomination committee operates within the union and proposes candidates for the Board and auditors. The selection process must ensure equality between genders and across occupational sectors.

All full members of Efling are eligible to stand for elected positions within the union.

The nomination committee’s list (List A) is presented at the union’s office eight days before the election. Other candidate lists must be submitted to the election committee no later than seven days before the election. Each list must be supported by 120 full members.

Elections to the Board are conducted by secret ballot, either at an election meeting or by postal voting. Members vote between the candidate lists presented.

Further provisions on eligibility, candidacy and election can be found in Chapter VI of the Efling Act.

funds Efling, including the Health Fund, the Holiday Fund, the Labour Market Fund and the Education Fund, along with all standing committees, are generally elected by the company's board of trustees and all full members are eligible to vote. This area of ​​responsibility determines which grants are awarded, how the holiday home supply is organised and how education is used. The boards of the funds are thus responsible for implementing the rules set for the funds.

Examples of elected committees and boards include:

• The nomination committee, which prepares candidate lists for the Board of Efling.
• The election committee, which oversees ballots and elections.
• Vocational training funds run in collaboration with municipalities, such as the City of Reykjavík.
  

The Representative Council of the Gildi Pension Fund plays an important role in the affairs of the fund. The Council is composed equally of representatives from trade unions and employers’ organisations affiliated with the fund. Trade unions that are members of the fund, including Efling, nominate a total of 80 representatives to the Council. The number of representatives from each union, including Efling, is determined every two years and is based on the relative weight of members’ contributions to the fund.

The role of Efling’s representatives on the Council is to exercise voting rights at the annual general meeting of Gildi and other meetings, on behalf of Efling. Council meetings cover the fund’s affairs, and key financial results are presented. The Council also confirms nominations of members’ representatives to the Board of the fund, elects representatives to the fund’s committees, including the nomination committee which prepares candidates for the Board of Gildi, and determines the remuneration policy and board members’ salaries.

To ensure that Efling’s members have a strong voice in the governance of Gildi, it is important that as many full members as possible are willing to participate. All full members of Efling who meet the eligibility requirements can put themselves forward for nomination to the Representative Council and thereby have a direct influence on the future of their pension rights. 

The Gildi representative council is discussed in the fund's articles of association here. 

The Congress of the Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASÍ) is the highest decision-making body of the confederation. It is held every two years and serves as the forum where the President and Central Executive Board of ASÍ are elected. Amendments to the confederation’s statutes and policy resolutions are also decided at the Congress.



Each member union of ASÍ has the right to send representatives to the Congress, with the number of delegates determined by the size of the union. In total, around 300 representatives of workers from across the country come together to shape the confederation’s policies and work programme and to elect its leadership.

All full members of Efling have the opportunity to put themselves forward for nomination to attend the ASÍ Congress and thereby have a direct influence on the future of the labour movement. The nomination committee prepares the list of delegates based on nominations and submits it to the Delegate Council for approval. 

Efling’s negotiating committees are composed of union members and play a key role in leading the union’s collective bargaining. Members are invited to join the committees when collective agreements are due to expire, and they operate until new agreements are reached. The Chair of Efling serves as the Chair of the negotiating committees. Efling places emphasis on having large negotiating committees and on ensuring that their work is open and transparent to members.

The role of the negotiating committees is to represent the union in collective bargaining, and they are given a broad mandate to do so. The committees attend negotiation meetings with counterparts and also hold their own meetings, which are convened and chaired by the Chair. Serving on a negotiating committee involves a significant workload, but members may be entitled to attend meetings without loss of pay from their employer. The role of negotiating committees is defined in Efling’s statutes and in legislation on trade unions and labour disputes.