A women‘s strike has been called on 24 October 2023 under the banner You call this equality? VR encourages its members to participate in the fight for equal rights on this day. VR also calls upon companies to show solidarity through action, by allowing women and non-binary individuals to strike on this day without loss of wages.
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The 2023 Women ‘s Strike is neither a strike as described by the Icelandic labour laws nor is it a holiday. The Women‘s Strike is a day of campaigning for equality in the workplace and workers participate on their own terms and according to their own decision.
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You will have to discuss the strike with your manager and obtain permission to strike on this day for the sake of equality without forfeiting pay or vacation time. Employers are not required to pay salaries on this day, but VR encourages them to do so and allow women and non-binary individuals to strike without any reduction in compensation.
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On 24 October 1975, 90% of Icelandic women went on strike to highlight the importance of their work to society and protest discrimination. The UN General Assembly had decided that that year be International Women’s Year. The actions of Icelandic women in 1975 received global attention and is still regularly discussed around the world. The Women’s Day Off has been held several times in the last few years and now that struggle has once again been renewed. A general strike has therefore been called on 24 October and women and non-binary individuals are encouraged to not show up to work or perform unpaid domestic labour, to the extent of their abilities. The focus of this year ‘s strikes is the eradication of gender-based violence and the value of women ‘s work.