User:Alþýðusambandið

Established in 1916
ASÍ is a confederation of trade unions in Iceland in the private sector and part of the public sector.

ASÍ promotes and works for the improvement of wages and rights of employees.

ASÍ safeguards the interests of employees towards employers and the authorities.

ASÍ provides various services to its member federations, trade unions and individual members.

ASÍ actively participates in the international trade union movement.

The Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASI) is built up of trade unions of general workers, office and retail workers, seamen, construction and industrial workers, electrical workers and various other professions in the private sector and part of the public sector. These trade unions are affiliated to 5 national federations which in turn are affiliated to ASI. In addition there are 7 national unions which are directly affiliated to ASI. About two/thirds of organised labour in Iceland are members of trade unions affiliated to ASÍ. The total number of members of ASÍ today is about 109,000; thereof 98,000 members are active on the labour market. The union density in Iceland is over 80%.

The role of ASI is to promote the interests of its constituent federations, trade unions and workers by providing leadership through co-ordination of policies in the fields of employment, social, education, environment and labour market issues. ASI represents the trade union movement at various levels of the government on issues such as labour law, employment and social policy, vocational education and training and occupational safety.

ASI is a member of various international and regional organizations. These include the Nordisk fackligt samarbejde (NFS), which is an organization of the Nordic Confederations of trade unions, The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). ASÍ takes active part in the work of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

The supreme power in the affairs of ASÍ is held by the confederation’s annual meeting where 290 elected representatives of employees nationwide gather. Every member union has the right to send at least one representative, irrespective of the relevant union’s size. The annual meetings of ASÍ decide on the policy of the confederation and its leadership is elected.

The president of Icelandic Confederation of Labour (ASÍ)
Gylfi Arnbjörnsson (1958) is the President of the Icelandic Confederation of Labor. He was elected for this position at the 8th ASÍ annual meeting in 2008 and re-elected in 2010 and 2012.

Gylfi Arnbjörnsson has a masters degree in Economics and he has been working for The Icelandic Confederation of Labour more or less since 1989, thereof as the Head of Office at ASÍ since 2001.