News - 21.03.2020

Thanks for standing watch in shops and services!

Now that we see all the news about the terrifying impact of the Corona virus on our vulnerable community, we are obliged to thank those who are standing watch in the fight against this invisible enemy.

The people in health care, law enforcement and other frontline services deserve our greatest respect and praise. But there are others who stand guard and often in close proximity to the virus, which is transmitted through human contact. They are our workers in shops and services. Without them, our community would be truly paralyzed. I think we all realize what the situation in the community would be like if we did not have the people working in supermarkets, shops, pharmacies and other services that we consider self-evident during these difficult times.

Let us praise the front-line workers and thank them for contributing to our health and well-being by ensuring access to essential goods and other services. It is truly astonishing to see how our fellow union members have adapted to this unprecedented situation with selflessness and boldness. But it has never been more important than now for shop owners to ensure the safety and security of their employees and, not least, that customers respect government regulations on quarantine and the “two-meter rule”.

Let's all thank the service workers next time we go to the store or take the car in for repair or wherever other service we enjoy.

Thank you, dear service and shop workers, you too deserve our greatest compliments!

Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, president of VR and the Federation of the Store and Office Workers in Iceland