BY GREG McCARTAN
Following a May Day demonstration of 5,000 workers and youth in Reykjavik, Iceland, 60 people attended an open house at the Pathfinder bookstore. The event was sponsored by supporters of the Militant newspaper and the Young Socialists (YS).

"One reason for the big turnout," said Sigurlaug Gunnlaugsdóttir, who helped organize the meeting, "was that there was a one-day strike just before Easter of all the unions that organize unskilled workers in Reykjavik. This strike was part of the general negotiations that cover most unionized workers in the country, some of which have not been concluded."

An agreement was reached granting wage increases of 12 percent over three years, which covers unions of unskilled workers and workers in light industry, food, docks, and municipalities. "Many were not satisfied with the outcome and thought more should have been negotiated," Gunnlaugs dóttir said. Some 1,000 workers remain on strike in the fishing industry freezing plants in the western part of the country. They are demanding higher wage increases than in the general agreement. Electricians have also not concluded agreements.

"Students at one school also had a one-day strike," Gunnlaugsdóttir said. "They were protesting that those who fail exams have to pay money in order to retake them."

The Iceland Federation of Labor (ASI) organized the May Day demonstration and rally. "The event used to be mainly banners of unions and a few central demands. Today the central slogan was: Defend the Pension Funds," she said. "There were a variety of slogans and banners. I saw at least two Cuban flags and several people had revolutionary leader Ernesto Che Guevara portrayed on placards. A group who supports the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement joined, raising protests against the attack on them by the Peruvian government. A person carried a sign demanding the release of Mumia Abu-Jamal," who is on death row after a frame-up conviction in Pennsylvania. There were unionists carrying signs saying "More pay for the eight hours." The Young Socialists had a banner.

Gylfi Pall Hersir, a communist and member of Dawn, the general workers union, spoke at the open house after the May Day rally on "Is the fight for socialism on the agenda?" Gunnlaugsdóttir said that "all kinds of people came from the rally, including at least four high school students and several members of Dawn, which is the biggest union in the country. Several high school students expressed interest in joining the YS, and we sold three Militant subscriptions, as well as books and pamphlets."  
 
 
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