Reykjavík Grapevine


Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.06.2017, Qupperneq 12

Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.06.2017, Qupperneq 12
There’s been a lot of hype lately about the arrival of American low-price re- tailers Costco in Iceland. Icelanders have been practically over the moon about the things they sell that you can’t buy here, the lower prices at Cost- co for things that you can buy else- where in Iceland (including petrol), and the fact that their bottled water costs less than the per-bottle mon- ey you get from waste management company Sorpa when you recycle with them. What hasn’t been discussed in Iceland is what Costco employees in this country are being paid. Costco has a great reputation in the US when it comes to workers’ rights. In a country largely absent of a national healthcare system and with a weak- ened federal pension fund, Costco em- ployees enjoy both health insurance and a 401k. The average hourly wage of a Costco employee in the US is also over $20 per hour. Iceland already has national health and several pension funds (for now), but what are the Ice- landic Costco employees getting paid? The short answer: more than our own unions require, which raises questions about how much our unions fight for their workers. Our unions don’t demand much Iceland does not have a minimum wage; rather, wages are decided by collective bargaining negotiations be- tween the respective labour union for a profession and management. VR is the labour union to which Costco em- ployees in Iceland belong, as the union confirmed for us by phone. They also confirmed that Costco employees are paid in accordance with the existing collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for workers in their field, and we were directed to a copy of this agreement. According to this agreement, as of May 1 2017, beginning full-time 12 The Reykjavík Grapevine Issue 10 — 2017 Costco’s Wages Go Beyond What Icelandic Unions Demand Maybe our unions need to work harder? Words: Paul Fontaine Photos: Art Bicnick Share this: gpv.is/usi09 ANALYSIS Costco employees get a better deal AKUREYRI OFFICE + 354 497 1000 WHALES, PUFFINS & REYKJAVÍK DEPARTURES 2017 - 19.990 ISK WHALES, EYJAFJORD & AKUREYRI DEPARTURES 2017 - 19.990 ISK April 15th - May 31st. May 15th - June 15th. 10:00, 14:00 10:00, 14:00 REYKJAVIK OFFICE + 354 497 0000 str and gat a HOF Lundargata Fró ðas und Eið s Gra nuf elag sga ta Hofsbot Brekkugata Hafnarstræ ti ave gu rOd dag ata Skipagata G rerárgata Grundargata eyjargata TICKET OFFICE WHALE SAFARI Æg isg arð ur Gei rsg ata Geirsgata No rð ur stí gu r Nýlendugata Mýrargata Hlé sga ta Rastargata Vesturgata Miðbakki Suðurgata Ægi sga rðu r Ægi sga rðu r TICKET OFFICE WHALE SAFARI Re yk jav ík O ld H arb ou r #CLOSERTONATURE • #THEULTIMATEWHALEWATCHING • #WHALESAFARI +354 497 0000 • WHALESAFARI.IS • INFO@WHALESAFARI.IS THE ULTIMATE WHALE WATCHING TOURS FROM REYKJAVÍK & AKUREYRI CLOSER TO NATURE CERTIFCATE of EXCELLENCE “ONE OF THE MOST FUN ACTIVITIES IN REYKJAVÍK ” Reviewed July 2016 “THE ONLY WAY TO SEE WHALES” Reviewed August 2015
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