Icelandic Merchant Ship Crews Join Strike
- Share via
REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Icelandic merchant shipping crews went on strike Tuesday, joining a six-day walkout in the fishing fleet that has idled the island nation’s fishing industry.
About 1,000 members of the merchant seamen’s union struck at midnight Monday after failing to gain a 20% wage increase in negotiations with ship owners. News reports said that the talks, supervised by a government mediator, are continuing.
The strike is expected to cripple Iceland’s three major shipping lines in a week’s time as the North Atlantic island nation’s 50-odd commercial vessels sail into ports.
Remaining in port were an estimated 200 trawlers and large fishing vessels idled by a strike by about 5,000 crew members demanding a 12% pay raise.
Wage talks broke down Monday between trawler owners and crews, whose strike began on New Year’s Day and subsequently idled 6,000 workers in the onshore fish industry.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
