Representatives
A representative is a member of a trade union who has been nominated by the employees or the union itself as its representative at the workplace.
A representative is the liaison between members in the workplace and the employer on the one hand and between members and the union on the other. A representative does not stand alone and the board and staff of a trade union help them to solve the issues that may arise and fall under the scope of the trade union.
- Anna Björg Auðunsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Menntamálastofnun (also for FÍF,SBU,SL,FÍ,KVH and SÍ)
- Arnar Vilhjálmsson (Fræðagarður) Skatturinn, Laugavegi 166
- Arnar Þórarinsson (Fræðagarður) Isavia
- Arndís Kristjánsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Fjármálaeftirlitið
- Atli Már Steinarsson (Fræðagarður) RÚV
- Auður Bára Ólafsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Menntamálastofnun (also for FÍF,SBU,SL,FÍ,KVH,SÍ and FRG)
- Ármann Guðmundsson (Fræðagarður) Þjóðminjasafn Íslands
- Árni Guðmundsson (Fræðagarður) Stuðlar
- Árni Halldórsson (Fræðagarður) Einkaleyfastofa
- Árný Guðmundsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Samskiptamiðstöð heyrnarlausra
- Ásbjörn Jónasson (Fræðagarður) Héraðsdómstólar
- Ásta Júlía Arnardóttir (Fræðagarður) Tryggingastofnun ríkisins
- Ásta Hermannsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Minjastofnun
- Ástríður Eggertsdóttir (Arkitektafélag Ísl) Arkþing-Nordic (also for FRG)
- Brynja Jónsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Greiningar- og ráðgjafastöð ríkisins
- Brynjar Örn Svavarsson(Fræðagarður) Hafnarfjarðarkaupstaður
- Dagný Björg Gunnarsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Akureyrarbær
- Elín Sandra Skúladóttir (KVH) Héraðssaksóknari (also for FÍF,FRG,SBU,SL)
- Elísabet María Andrésdóttir (FÍF) Rannís (also for FRG)
- Elísabet Ingólfsdóttir (SL) Kærunefnd útlendingamála (also for FRG)
- Embla Ýr Bárudóttir (Fræðagarður) Skopos
- Eyja Drífa Ingólfsdóttir (FÍF) Arnarskóli (also for FRG,FÍN and ÞÍ)
- Freyr Finnbogason (Fræðagarður) Fivedegrees
- Guðrún Svava Baldursdóttir (Fræðagarður) Frístunda- og forvarnardeild Kópavogs
- Gyða Sigfinnsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Vinnumálastofnun
- Helga Hlín Bjarnadóttir (Fræðagarður) Þjóðskjalasafn (FÍF/SBU/SL/KVH)
- Hjalti Kristjánsson (Fræðagarður) Reykjalundur
- Ingibjörg Elíasdóttir (Fræðagarður) Jafnréttisstofa, Norðurlandi
- Kristín Hjartardóttir (Fræðagarður) Miðstöð símenntunar Suðurnesjum
- Ingibjörg Gissunn Jónsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Hlíðaskóli (ÞÍ)
- Kjartan Jón Bjarnason (SL) Kærunefnd útlendingamála (also for FÍF and FRG)
- Kristín Stella Lorange (Fræðagarður) Keilir
- Lísa Yoder (SL) Skattrannsóknarstjóri (also for FRG)
- Margrét Dögg Sigurðardóttir (KVH) Íbúðalánasjóður (also for FRG)
- Oddbergur Eiríksson (Fræðagarður) Þjónustu- og þekkingarmiðstöð fyrir blinda og sjónskerta
- Ólöf Edda Eysteinsdóttir (KVH) LSR (also for SL and FRG)
- Óskar E. Óskarsson (FÍN) Rannís (also for FÍF,KVH,FRG, SBU and SL)
- Ragnar F. Ólafsson (Fræðagarður) Námsmatsstofnun
- Samúel Gunnarsson (SL) Héraðsdómur Reykjavíkur (also for FRG and SBU)
- Sara Halldórsdóttir (SL) Skatturinn / Akureyri (also for FRG and KVH)
- S. Regína Valdimarsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Greiðslustofa húsnæðisbóta/Vinnumálastofnun
- Sigurður Marísson (Fræðagarður) Hagstofa Íslands
- Skúli Lýðsson (Fræðagarður) Mannvirkjastofnun
- Snæbjörn Guðmundsson (FÍN) Náttúruminjasafn Íslands (also for FRG)
- Stefán Diego Garcia (Fræðagarður) Ljósið, endurhæfingarmiðstöð
- Svanfríður S. Franklínsdóttir (SBU) Listasafn Íslands (also for FRG)
- Sveinbjörn Gestsson (Fræðagarður) Menntamálastofnun
- Unnur Haraldsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Háskólinn á Hólum
- Valdís Vaka Kristjánsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Austurbrú
- Þóra Björk Ágústsdóttir (Fræðagarður) Útlendingastofnun
- Þórdís Arnardóttir (SBU) Bókasafn Hafnarfjarðar (also for FRG)
- Þórhildur Ólafsdóttir (Fræðagarður) RÚV
- Jóhann Ásmundsson (Fræðagarður) Fiskistofa (also for SL and KVH)
Among the main roles of representatives are to:
- Observe that the employer complies with the provisions of the collective agreement, laws and regulations on working conditions and the rights of employees and take the necessary measures when needed.
- Assess which clauses of collective agreements and rules should be changed to improve conditions or reduce problems with implementation and make the union aware of this, e.g. when preparations are being made for a claim for collective agreements.
- Receive employee complaints and be their advocate with respect to the employer.
- Represent the union at the workplace, take care of sending invitations from members to the union and from the union to members. Present the union's policies and tasks to members at any given time.
- Welcoming new employees, introducing them to working conditions and rights, and introducing them to the union and its operations.
General rules for the election of representatives can be found on the BHM website. Generally, at each workstation where at least 5 members work, one trustee may be elected. At a workplace where 50 or more members work, two trustees may be elected.
You can get more information about the election of representatives at Fræðagarður by sending an enquiry to our office.
It is not permitted to make representatives pay for having been selected for a confidential position. Thus, a representative has certain rights over other employees, for example when it comes to termination and regarding time to perform representative duties during working hours.
See more on the rights and protection of representatives on the BHM website.
Bandalag háskólamanna (BHM) conducts courses for representatives and has set up an electronic educational site on the role of representatives. On the educational site, you can find shorter videos that cover many points that representatives need to know and in regard to their role.
See more on education for representatives and access to the aforementioned educational site.
More detailed definitions and rights provisions for representatives can either be found in collective agreements, general union agreements on representatives or in the Act on Public Employees.
Public Employees (State and Municipalities)
The following are considered representatives according to the agreement on representatives:
- Elected representatives at workplaces.
- Union directors.
- Union negotiation committee members.
- Agents in adaptation committees, complaints boards and joint committees.
The above-mentioned parties enjoy the rights and protections provided for in the Public Employees' Collective Agreement Act no. 94/1986 assume. The above agreement also includes the representatives' right to absence due to representative work.
Employees in the General Labour Market
In the 2011 collective agreement of the BHM member associations and Samtök atvinnulífsins - The Confederation of Icelandic Employers, a special section on repreesntatives was added. In other respects, a provision on representatives in the general labour market can be found in the Act on Trade Unions and Labour Disputes no. 80/1938.
Provisions on Representatives in Contracts and Laws
- Samtök atvinnulífsins
- Law no. 80/1938 on trade unions and labour disputes
- Law no. 94/1986 on the collective agreement for public employees
- Agreement on representatives for the State, the City of Reykjavík and various non-profit organisations, from 1989
- Agreement on representatives with Samband íslenskra sveitarfélaga (Icelandic Association of Local Authorities), from 2011
Further information can be found in the text on the role of representatives on the BHM website.
Fræðagarður Assistance and Consultation
If you have questions about the roles, duties and rights of representatives, we encourage you to send us an enquiry or book a call with a specialist.