Bjarg öfötfäfélag is a housing self-ownership organization founded by ASÍ and BSRB, and on the company’s website it says that it is intended to ensure low-income individuals and families in the labor market access to secure residential housing for long-term rent.
“This has not been brought to the table, but all I can say is that we have not clearly monitored these subcontractors of ours. We intend that whether it is people working for us or others, that there is a holiday on May 1. It is a day off for the working class,” says ASÍ president Friðbjörn A. Hermannsson in an interview with a Vísis reporter.
Not taken back
He then says that he has not properly introduced himself to the matter, but that he firmly assumes that Björn Traustason, Bjarg’s manager, will contact the contractor immediately after the weekend.
“This is not taken back, so we just remind you that this is everyone’s day off, whether they are foreign workers or Icelandic,” he says, adding that even though those at ASÍ and BSRB do not monitor all of Bjargsin’s activities very closely, this should not happen.
“Of course we don’t walk every day between workplaces where work is being done at Bergi, but this just shouldn’t happen. No more than the shops should be open,” says Friðbjörn and agrees with those who have said that the issue is to some extent problematic.
“Yeah, it’s not going to end well,” he says.
