WOMEN-ICELAND: Encore Strike on Wage Disparities 30 Years On

By Lowana Veal Reprint | | Print |

Lowana Veal

REYKJAVIK, Oct 25 2005 (IPS) - Thirty years after a strike that was a milestone in the global women’s movement, Icelandic women have returned to the streets, steadfast in their demand for wages that put them on equal footing with men.

In October 1975, 25,000 Icelandic women attracted worldwide attention when they left their homes and workplaces to go on strike. They gathered for two hours in the centre of Reykjavik in what was at the time probably the country’s largest political rally ever.

Icelandic women returned to the streets Monday. But this time there were more: 50,000 in Reykjavik alone, plus almost 10,000 in provincial towns all over the country. Considering that the total population of Iceland is only 292,000, the turnout was phenomenal – much more than the organisers had expected.

The mass mobilisation was evident in the overflowing buses – which are usually almost empty – and long traffic queues and the streams of people heading on foot heading for the city centre.

Women marched, sang, shouted slogans, banged pots and pans, and listened to speeches and songs. Some carried signs with slogans such as: “Care work is proper work”, “I am not 65 percent of a person” and “Activate equal rights”.

The rally site, with a capacity for about 7,000, was not nearly big enough for the number of women who turned out, but loudspeakers were placed in outlying areas so at least some could listen in.

A sprinkling of men could also be seen, usually with their families in tow. According to women who had experienced both women’s strikes, the proportion of men in 2005 was noticeably higher than in 1975. One participant, Maria Kristmanns, said: “I think that 30 years ago men were somewhat threatened by the day of action, but luckily it is clear that the mood has changed.”

The main focus of the day was wage differences. In Iceland, women’s wages are 72 percent compared to men’s wages when hours of work, years of experience and level of education are taken into account.

But the organisers of the strike say that this is only part of the story. Women’s average income is actually only 64.15 percent of men’s income. If women received the same average wage as men, and the working day was 9am to 5pm, they would have earned their income by 2:08pm.

Women were therefore encouraged to stop all work at 2:08.

The organisers say that by looking at the wider picture, rather than just equal pay for equal work, issues such as differences in pay between traditional women’s work and men’s work are taken into account.

As with the 1975 strike, the objective was to show the value of women in the workforce for the Icelandic economy.

In addition, family responsibilities and unequal division of housework – of which women do 80 percent – impair women’s potential and opportunities in the labour market. If women marry or have more children, their real income goes down, while just the opposite is the case for men.

Apart from the wage differences, issues such as domestic violence, the use of images of women’s bodies in advertising, and the unequal status of women in society, business and politics were listed as reasons why Icelandic women should support the event.

For Monday’s strike to succeed, trade union support was essential. And many did back the action. During the preceding days, full-page advertisements from large employers and unions appeared in newspapers, urging women to meet at the march and rally. Women were either allowed to take time off or – especially where women represented the majority of the workforce – workplaces closed completely at 2:08pm.

Is the position of women in Iceland better than it was 30 years ago? The answer Monday seemed to be: In general, yes, but it’s still not enough.

“A law on equal rights was made in 1976 as a consequence of the first women’s strike. More women now have university degrees. Daycare for children has improved, making it easier for women to work,” Edda Jonsdottir, project manager for the event, told IPS.

“And more women work,” she said, “83 percent, equivalent to 49.5 percent of the workforce. The percentage of working women in Iceland is the highest in the OECD [Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development] countries.”

“But women are still mostly in low-paid jobs, such as care work and teaching,” Jonsdottir added.

In an interview with the newspaper Morgunbladid, author Steinunn Johannesdottir commented on progress made during the last 30 years: “I am of the opinion that the first women’s strike marked a turn of events in the Icelandic gender equality issue – that in fact it’s possible to speak of before and after the strike. For example, the Women’s Alliance Party was established in the wake of the meeting, Vigdis Finnbogadottir was elected president of Iceland, and the proportion of women members of parliament increased significantly.” Currently, Icelandic women account for 33 percent of MPs.

What can be done in the future? Already the mayor of Reykjavik and the minister of social affairs have both promised to look into gender differences in pay for their staff.

Regardless, the people of Iceland can expect a reminder of women’s role in the economy with a women’s strike likely to be held every 10 years.