400 Icelanders Out of Work

400 soon-to-be former employees of the NATO base in Keflavík, who will not have jobs when the base downsizes in September, have still not found new jobs. Of the 600 Icelanders currently working there, about 200 will continue on in relevant positions as a part of the Icelandic Aviation Authority, and about 70 have found work elsewhere. Already, union officials say they've been flooded with requests from employees seeking to speak with employment councillors about new jobs.

"Up until now it's gone tolerably well finding new jobs for people," said Kristján Gunnarsson, chairman of the Union and Seamen's Society of Keflavík. "but there are still many who haven't come in yet."

While Gunnarsson is optimistic about employment prospects in the area, he admits that the situation could be better.

"The whole area is decreasing in development," he said, "So I can believe that many of these individuals are going to have a hard time starting a new job with a lower salary." -pfn