For a Unified Efling, Lead by Workers Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson skrifar 15. febrúar 2022 08:00 I have wanted to participate in a union ever since I began working in my home country, the USA. As a worker in the USA, I had to negotiate contracts by myself, and watch as salaries, benefits, and free time declined due to right-wing and neoliberal governments and the unchecked power of capital. I longed for the collective bargaining power of the pre-McCarthy era. I first met Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir in 2020 when I showed up with other Efling members at Iðnó to make a sign and march into City Hall on strike. It was invigorating, like living a history book. Not only was inspiring, it also brought meaningful concrete results. In the negotiations with Reykjavík City, Efling members gained a far better contract due to strong leadership and member unity than would otherwise have been obtained. In the last weeks, there has been one breathless hit piece after the other in the media from the perspective of the opponents of the B-list. Curiously, these are largely the staff of Efling and other unions – if they are not nameless, that is. But what I haven’t seen is an interview with a member of the union itself, a dues-paying working class person. I’ve also seen in these articles an implied condescension, removing the agency of the working class members that endorse Sólveig Anna repeatedly. Unfortunately, we live in a class based society. Workers need a leadership that understands the nature of class division, that can pull in more people to participate, and who understands how to make bold demands and then achieve them. Sólveig Anna is not the only person on earth with these skills, but she is the only one running for chair of Efling. I have seen with my own eyes what can be achieved with capable and passionate leadership with unified mass backing. The Battle List, which I am proud to be part of, wants to continue to build our union in this direction: firm leadership closely followed by active rank-and-file members. I stand with Sólveig Anna, her agenda, and I’m proud to be part of the Battle List! Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson is an Efling member and is running for the Battle List (the B-list) along with Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir. Viltu birta grein á Vísi? Sendu okkur póst. Senda grein Ólga innan Eflingar Stéttarfélög Mest lesið Halldór 31.05.2025 Halldór Barnasáttmáli fyrir öll börn Guðný Björk Eydal,Paola Carenas Skoðun Tjáningarfrelsi, gagnrýni og Snorri Másson Birgir Orri Ásgrímsson Skoðun Ójafnvægið sem heimurinn býr við – og skellur á Bakka Erna Bjarnadóttir Skoðun Eins skýrt og það verður Jóna Hlíf Halldórsdóttir Skoðun Er ekki tími til kominn að tengja? Kristín María Birgisdóttir Skoðun Súrdeigsbrauð, ilmkjarnaolíur og Samtökin 78 Snorri Másson Skoðun Trollveiðar og veiðiráðgjöf Magnús Jónsson Skoðun Verður það að vera Ísrael? Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson Skoðun Þögnin sem skapaði ótta – arfleifð Þórarins í Sameyki Sigríður Svanborgardóttir Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Er ekki tími til kominn að tengja? Kristín María Birgisdóttir skrifar Skoðun Barnasáttmáli fyrir öll börn Guðný Björk Eydal,Paola Carenas skrifar Skoðun Ójafnvægið sem heimurinn býr við – og skellur á Bakka Erna Bjarnadóttir skrifar Skoðun Bensínstöðvardíll og Birkimelur Helgi Áss Grétarsson skrifar Skoðun Trollveiðar og veiðiráðgjöf Magnús Jónsson skrifar Skoðun Gríðarlegir hagsmunir í húfi Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson skrifar Skoðun Skynsamleg forgangsröðun fjár Ragnhildur Jónsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Eins skýrt og það verður Jóna Hlíf Halldórsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Tjáningarfrelsi, gagnrýni og Snorri Másson Birgir Orri Ásgrímsson skrifar Skoðun Að sameinast fjölskyldu sinni Guðrún Brynjólfsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Þögnin sem skapaði ótta – arfleifð Þórarins í Sameyki Sigríður Svanborgardóttir skrifar Skoðun Súrdeigsbrauð, ilmkjarnaolíur og Samtökin 78 Snorri Másson skrifar Skoðun Eru forvarnir í hættu? Dagbjört Harðardóttir skrifar Skoðun Tveir alþingismenn og Gaza Sverrir Agnarsson skrifar Skoðun Hver borgar fyrir ódýrar lóðir? Sara Björg Sigurðardóttir skrifar Skoðun Erum við að lengja dauðann en ekki lífið? Ágúst Ólafur Ágústsson skrifar Skoðun Mikill munur á aðgengi að líknarmeðferð í Evrópu Kristín Lára Ólafsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Sumarið verður nýtt vel til uppbyggingar snjóflóðavarna Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson skrifar Skoðun Verður það að vera Ísrael? Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Dýravernd - frumbyggjahættir Árni Stefán Árnason skrifar Skoðun Stórstraumsfjara mæld - HMS ráðþrota Magnús Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Sýnum fordómum ekki umburðarlyndi Snorri Sturluson skrifar Skoðun Landbúnaður á tímamótum – Við þurfum nýja stefnu Guðjón Sigurbjartsson skrifar Skoðun Sjómenn til hamingju! Lilja Rafney Magnúsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Leyfum mennskunni að sigra Anna Hildur Hildibrandsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Fjölskyldan fyrst Hólmfríður Jennýjar Árnadóttir skrifar Skoðun Hvað er markaðsverð á fiski? Sverrir Haraldsson skrifar Skoðun Tími til kerfisbundinna breytinga í samfélagstúlkun – ákall til stjórnvalda Anna Karen Svövudóttir skrifar Skoðun Fæðing Ísraels - Líkum misþyrmt BIrgir Dýrfjörð skrifar Skoðun Við eigum allt. Af hverju finnst okkur samt vanta eitthvað? Valentina Klaas skrifar Sjá meira
I have wanted to participate in a union ever since I began working in my home country, the USA. As a worker in the USA, I had to negotiate contracts by myself, and watch as salaries, benefits, and free time declined due to right-wing and neoliberal governments and the unchecked power of capital. I longed for the collective bargaining power of the pre-McCarthy era. I first met Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir in 2020 when I showed up with other Efling members at Iðnó to make a sign and march into City Hall on strike. It was invigorating, like living a history book. Not only was inspiring, it also brought meaningful concrete results. In the negotiations with Reykjavík City, Efling members gained a far better contract due to strong leadership and member unity than would otherwise have been obtained. In the last weeks, there has been one breathless hit piece after the other in the media from the perspective of the opponents of the B-list. Curiously, these are largely the staff of Efling and other unions – if they are not nameless, that is. But what I haven’t seen is an interview with a member of the union itself, a dues-paying working class person. I’ve also seen in these articles an implied condescension, removing the agency of the working class members that endorse Sólveig Anna repeatedly. Unfortunately, we live in a class based society. Workers need a leadership that understands the nature of class division, that can pull in more people to participate, and who understands how to make bold demands and then achieve them. Sólveig Anna is not the only person on earth with these skills, but she is the only one running for chair of Efling. I have seen with my own eyes what can be achieved with capable and passionate leadership with unified mass backing. The Battle List, which I am proud to be part of, wants to continue to build our union in this direction: firm leadership closely followed by active rank-and-file members. I stand with Sólveig Anna, her agenda, and I’m proud to be part of the Battle List! Sæþór Benjamín Randalsson is an Efling member and is running for the Battle List (the B-list) along with Sólveig Anna Jónsdóttir.
Skoðun Tími til kerfisbundinna breytinga í samfélagstúlkun – ákall til stjórnvalda Anna Karen Svövudóttir skrifar