VR Chairman Elections Have Begun – Your Vote Matters!

In the coming days, VR members will face an important choice. The elections began on March 6, and this is your opportunity to elect a chairman who stands with the members and fights for their interests with determination. I am running to lead VR into a stronger and more united future, and I know what needs to be done to achieve that.

Unity is the Key to a Stronger VR

As chairman, I will ensure that the new VR board stands together, regardless of who is elected. We need to close ranks and work toward a common goal: improving the conditions for VR members. I communicate clearly and in plain language—not in lofty phrases. Members should feel that their voices matter.

The question is simple: Do you want a stronger VR that fights for you, or a VR that continues down the same path?

Fighting for What Truly Matters

I am ready to take on the fight for the issues that truly matter to you.

1. A Family-Friendly Labor Market

No one should have to choose between their job and their family. The uncertainty regarding daycare options after parental leave creates unnecessary stress. Other candidates talk about bridging the gap, but no real solutions have been proposed. I will work to find and implement concrete solutions.

2. The VR Contingency Fund Should Serve Members – Not Just Accumulate Money

The VR contingency fund should be a safety net for members when needed, not a savings account for VR. I disagree with the idea that those who have more should receive more. I will push for fairer allocation rules to ensure that the fund benefits everyone who needs it.

VR members themselves have expressed dissatisfaction:

"I have lived in this country for seven years, worked at the same workplace all that time, and my salary has not decreased, yet I always receive the same amount from the reserve fund—around 20,000 ISK. Where is the fairness?"

"It’s not worth withdrawing from the fund because the amounts are so small."

And I no longer want to hear members say they are leaving VR because they don’t receive parental support. But that is the reality.

I will make sure this changes.

3. Equal Rights in the Labor Market

VR should lead in the fight for better working conditions, not just following in the footsteps of others. We must ensure that VR members enjoy the same rights as others, both in terms of sick leave and wage increases.

Recently, teachers negotiated a 24% salary increase, which is a fantastic achievement, and I genuinely celebrate it. They absolutely deserve it, they are the ones educating our children. But let’s not forget VR members, who are equally important and yet have been left behind with much smaller raises.

Why has there been no response from VR? These are the questions I want answers to, and I will take clear action in response.

More Open and Transparent Communication

VR members should not have to wait for elections to meet their chairman. I want to ensure regular communication with members, negotiators, and government officials to improve conditions and resolve urgent issues quickly and effectively. VR must speak clearly for its members’ rights and ensure that no one is left behind.

I Am Ready – Are You?

I have worked within VR for 14 years. I know this organization inside and out and understand where change is needed. I will not let anything stop me from fighting for VR members.

VR members deserve better. We need a VR that stands firm for its members, that does not let other industries take the lead in securing rights and wages, and that prioritizes members’ interests over political agendas.

If you want change, if you want a VR that truly stands with you, then the choice is clear.

Vote for change. Vote for what’s right. Vote for me.

The writer is a candidate for VR Chairman