Frídagur verslunarmanna – the first Monday in August - literally means The Shop Assistants Holiday. It was first celebrated on Thursday, September 13, 1894, shortly after it was announced at a meeting of the Verzlunarmannafélag Reykjavíkur (now VR) that all merchants and managers of larger stores in Reykjavík had agreed to give their employees a day off so they could enjoy themselves.
VR decided to organize the day to ensure it was used as intended. The idea for the holiday came from Denmark and may be considered the first step towards paid leave for workers in Iceland, as it was not common to grant employees summer vacations.
A Big Cheer for the Holiday
Most shop assistants in Reykjavík participated in the celebrations along with many guests. Gatherings began at Lækjartorg before noon, followed by a march under banners and to the sound of trumpets to Ártún. Once there, participants took a short break, listened to speeches, enjoyed entertainment, and toasted Iceland, the retail profession, women, and guests at the event.
Five Thousand People at Þingvellir
For the first three years, this holiday was celebrated in a similar manner, initially in mid-September, then mid-August, and finally at the end of August. In the following years, Verzlunarmannafélag Reykjavíkur participated in the national celebrations organized with the Reykjavík Student Association, which later developed into the June 17th celebrations.
Since the early 20th century, the union has almost continuously organized events for frídagur verslumarmanna. In the early years, shop workers celebrated the holiday in early August. In 1931, the first Monday in August was selected, coinciding with a change in store closing regulations. In 1935, the day was celebrated at Þingvellir, and it is estimated that up to five thousand people attended. The same arrangement was repeated the following year, but celebrations generally moved to Reykjavík or its surroundings after that. Between 1937 and 1939, the day was celebrated at in Gufunes, where VR built, among other things, a football field for matches between wholesalers, retailers, and their employees.
Balls, Amusement Parks, and Family Celebrations
No celebrations took place between 1940 and 1943, but in 1941 VR gained access to the National Broadcasting Service for a program. This program was broadcast on the following Tuesday, as it was believed shop assistants would be out enjoying the good weather or traveling on the holiday. This may mark the beginning of the tradition of frídagur verslunarmanna weekend being one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.
In the early years after World War II, VR held a ball at Hótel Borg. In 1947, outdoor gatherings resumed, taking place at the Tivoli amusement park until 1957. After that, family-oriented events organized by VR were discontinued until 1996, when VR invited its members to a celebration at the Family and Animal Park. This tradition ended in following the establishment of the VR Contingency Fund, with funds previously allocated for family entertainment redirected to strengthening the members' funds. Frídagur verslunarmanna became a general holiday in the mid-20th century.
Based on The History of VR 1891-1991 by Lýður Björnsson.
Frídagur verslunarmanna is a major public hoiday
Frídagur verslunarmanna is recognized as a major public holiday according to VR’s collective agreements. On such holidays, employees are not required to work unless specifically agreed upon between employees and employers. Work performed on frídagur verslunarmanna must be compensated in addition to regular and fixed wages. Employees who would otherwise have been scheduled to work on that Monday are entitled to receive regular pay for that day, regardless of whether they are on fixed monthly salaries or paid by the hour.
For more information on public holiday rates, click here.