Growing gender pay gaps, men’s violence against women and the “third shift” – that’s what Iceland’s women and non-binary people are striking against on Tuesday.
– I have never seen so many people in town, says Gudrún Rútsdottír, one of the strikers on site in Reykjavik.
It is not the first time Iceland’s women have gone on national strike. The last time they did it was in 1975, when the fight concerned precisely the pay gap between women and men. Around 90 percent of the country’s women did not go to work during the strike – and it paid off. The following year, a law was passed on equal pay for equal work.
But in 2023, 48 years later, it’s time again.
Most equal country in the world
Because despite Iceland topping the list as the most equal country in the world according to the World Economic Forum, women still earn 21 percent less in some sectors, and 40 percent of women have experienced violence or sexual violence.
– I thought at first – is it so important? I’m fine, I have a good husband who helps at home. But I demonstrate for those who can’t, because I can, says Gudrún Rútsdottír.
“The Third Shift”
In addition to the wage gap and violence, there is thus a demonstration against “the third shift”. Gudrún Rútsdottír explains:
– The first shift is your work that you go to and get paid for. The second shift is driving to training, grocery shopping, cooking. But, who will plan it? It must be planned to buy food and it must be planned about who will collect, where are the children now and so on.
Icelanders call that planning “the third shift”.
– And who does it? Yes, we women are for the most part. And today we are shutting down the first, second and third shifts, says Gudrún Rútsdottír.
Keeps closed
The strike is highly visible in Icelandic society. Many schools and preschools are forced to remain closed because the women do not go to work.
Even non-binary people are invited to strike – this is new since 1975.