Jónas Yngvi Ásgrímsson

Experience in community engagement

My name is Jónas Yngvi Ásgrímsson, and I am running for a seat on the Board of VR. I am 60 years old, graduated from the Co-operative College in Bifröst and later completed Business Administration from the University of Akureyri. I work in consulting and accounting at Abbey Road ehf. and have been there since 2022. I live in Skeiða- and Gnúpverjahreppur in Árnessýsla. My wife is Jóhanna Lilja Arnardóttir, Principal at Flúðaskóli.

I took a seat on the Board of VR in South Iceland in 2017, and at the same time, I took a seat on VR’s Consultative Council. I am also on the Representative Council of the Commercial Workers’ Pension Fund (Lífeyrissjóður verzlunarmanna). In 2020, I was elected to the Board of VR. My area of operation is South Iceland. As a rural resident, I have advocated for the priorities of VR’s rural members.
As a Board member of VR, I have worked on various committees. The main ones are the Vocational Training Committee, the Wage Committee and the Housing Committee. Through these committees, many major issues have been brought to a conclusion. Vocational education matters greatly to me, and I want to see people’s possibilities for continuing education become a reality. It is important to obtain in the collective wage agreements an increased authorisation for employees to be able to attend additional education during working hours. The need for this is great in the era of the fourth industrial revolution, especially for those who have not completed much formal education.

VR’s Housing Committee has started the construction of affordable rental housing for members. Estimates assume up to 23% lower rent than on the general market. There is no doubt that this is a significant improvement for those who will rent there. In the future, more apartments will probably be built according to the same principle.

Main focuses

Among the issues I focus on are improving the conditions of those with the lowest wages. Extending holidays to 30 days for everyone and shortening the working week are also wage issues that need to continue to be worked on. In addition, the continued development of vocational training is also a necessary part of future wage issues, especially when taking into account the fourth Industrial Revolution. However, the biggest improvement is to bring down inflation and interest rates, and with sensible collective wage agreements where all parties contribute, it is possible to achieve that improvement. The work can no longer be left only to the workers, rather SA must collaborate on this as well.

I am very interested in social issues and thus working on good causes. I am active in Lions, have been a District Director there and am a member on the Lions National Board. The Lions movement is a mass movement of people who want to improve the society in which we live. I am also a member of the Oddfellow Lodge.

I have learnt a lot in the past few years. Working on the Board of a union is hard work and rewarding. Decisions made by the Board will affect the lives of many. That’s why we who sit on the Board must work responsibly and with care. Collaboration and empathy are my watchwords in my work for VR.

I ask that you, dear fellow VR member, give me your vote and thus allow me to continue working for you.