News
December 11, 2018Socialists establish a support fund and call it Maístjarnan
The Executive Committee of Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands has decided to place Reykjavík City's contribution to the party into a special fund to strengthen the advocacy of disadvantaged groups. The fund will be called Maístjarnan, and the Executive Committee of Sósíalistaflokkurinn will manage the fund's operations and disbursements.
"The socialist candidacy in the municipal elections this spring was primarily a candidacy of the disadvantaged," says Gunnar Smári Egilsson, chairman of the party's executive committee. "We therefore find it natural to use the contribution from the city treasury to political parties that goes to the party, to encourage and strengthen the political activity of the disadvantaged and build up their advocacy."
Sósíalistaflokkurinn received a contribution of 900 thousand krónur this year. Next year, the contribution is expected to be twice as high, and during the election period, about seven million krónur will flow from the city treasury to Maístjarnan, through Sósíalistaflokkurinn.
"The idea is that people belonging to disadvantaged groups can apply for support to organize their struggle, cover costs for meetings, promotion, and the establishment of advocacy groups, associations, or organizations," says Laufey Ólafsdóttir, treasurer of the executive committee. "Maístjarnan will provide conditional grants to cover the incurred costs of such associations, but not salaries or fees for board members or members. That is at least the framework to begin with. Procedures will evolve in cooperation with the groups we work with."
Experience will show what kind of groups, associations, and organizations Maístjarnan supports. In the resolution of the Executive Committee of Sósíalistaflokkurinn, it states: "Maístjarnan is a support fund that assists the disadvantaged in building and operating their advocacy in organized groups, associations, and organizations. Maístjarnan is funded by Reykjavík City's contribution to Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands and by contributions and donations from individuals. The Executive Committee of Sósíalistaflokkurinn allocates from the fund and manages and shapes its activities. Maístjarnan works to strengthen the voice of the disadvantaged and assist them in presenting their demands and pushing for the future country to be shaped according to the interests of the common people."
Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir, socialist city councilor, has decided to support Maístjarnan with a monthly contribution of 100 thousand krónur. By doing so, Sanna effectively reduces her salary as a city councilor from 908 thousand kr. per month to about 750 thousand kr. before tax, or 2.5 times the minimum wage. "I believe we should set limits on the highest salaries in society, how much higher they can be than the minimum wage," says Sanna. "I think three times the minimum wage is an absolute maximum, for example for a mayor, and I therefore set my salary at a step below that."
Sanna's generous contribution to Maístjarnan is expected to exceed four million krónur during the election period. "I encourage all socialists who can to contribute to Maístjarnan, preferably by subscription," says Sanna. "The most important steps towards a just society are for those who suffer most from the injustice of capitalism to organize themselves, form solidarity among themselves, and succeed in building tools to fight for their interests. These are the most important politics, the struggle for survival of those whom capitalism is killing."
Maístjarnan has already completed its first project, as the fund took responsibility for all costs related to the outdoor meeting at Austurvöllur on December 1st last year. The total cost was about 140 thousand krónur, Skiltakarlarnir collected about 106 thousand krónur in buckets towards the cost at the meeting, and Maístjarnan will pay the difference, but the meeting was called by three women, Arndís Jónasdóttur, Júlíu Sveinsdóttur, and Alexandra Kristjana Ægisdóttir, who were appalled by the behavior of MPs at Klausturbarinn.
After the New Year, Maístjarnan will hold a course on building advocacy groups for the disadvantaged. It will cover both the positive effects of political work on the well-being of individuals who participate and the methods that can be used to build strong groups, how to ensure their voice is heard, and what methods can be applied to achieve success.
Those who wish to support Maístjarnan and its advocacy for the disadvantaged can do so on the Internet, here on this page: