Trustees

Contacts of Eflingarfélag in the workplace

Trustees of Efling

According to collective agreements, there must be a shop steward in all workplaces with 5 or more Efling members. Shop stewards play a very important role in Efling's work, and the company places great emphasis on increasing their number, as well as providing them with intensive education, training and support.

Role

A shop steward is the Eflingarfélagi workplace liaison with their union. His/her role is to ensure that collective agreements are followed and that laws and rights are respected, and to assist members at their workplace in resolving rights issues when appropriate. The shop steward communicates information from the company to members, and informs the company about the situation at their workplace as needed.

A trustee is an elected representative

Employees at each workplace elect a shop steward for a two-year term. If only one person runs, the person is automatically elected. After the election, the shop steward and his employer will send confirmation of the appointment, and the shop steward will begin attending a shop steward course run by the company.

Is there no shop steward at your workplace?

If there is no shop steward at your workplace and you would like to run for that role or organize an election, we would like to ask you to contact the Department of Education and Social Affairs at 510 7500 or send an email to felagsmal@efling.is .

Skristofa Efling assists in the management and implementation of trustee elections.

Number of Eflingar members working at the workplace:

5-49 the collective agreement permits advertising for 1 shop steward.
50-119 the collective agreement permits advertising for 2 shop stewards.
120 or more the collective agreement permits advertising for 3 shop stewards.

Here you can nominate yourself or your coworker as a candidate for shop steward.

After the election of shop stewards, you must fill out and submit the following form to Efling – notification of shop steward.

A trustee enjoys protection

A shop steward may not be dismissed because of his work as a shop steward and he is taking on other people for work if the employer needs to reduce the number of employees.

Education

Shop stewards are required to attend courses during their term of office, and the employer must ensure that they are able to do so without a reduction in pay.


The courses aim to improve the skills and knowledge of trustees by learning about:

  • Collective agreements
  • Learn to read payslips
  • Labor struggles and negotiations
  • The role of trade unions, their history and activities
  • Laws and rights of people in the labor market


The courses also cover various other aspects that make trustees better equipped to carry out their role.

Regulations on the appointment and work of trustees

The company has issued special regulations that outline the criteria that apply to the appointment and work of shop stewards. They are based on national law, collective agreements and Efling's laws. Read the regulations here.

Rights of shop stewards under collective agreements

Collective agreements grant shop stewards various rights.

See shop stewards' rights under different collective agreements here.

Workplace meetings

Since autumn 2024, Efling has requested that shop stewards use the authority in collective agreements to hold workplace meetings. Training and preparation are provided in shop steward courses to prepare shop stewards to hold such meetings.