Proposal for the establishment of an immigrant council

Proposal that Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir submitted to a city council meeting justnow.

In light of the fact that authorities, both state and city, have often completely ignored the voices of those who have pointed out the miserable conditions of foreign workers and those who live in poverty in the labor market (e. working poor), it is proposed that Reykjavík City establish an immigrant council. The council shall be composed of immigrants themselves and other relevant groups and organizations as the council deems necessary. The composition of the council is discussed in more detail in the explanatory memorandum. The role of the council will be to propose improvements to society and ideas for reforms regarding the conditions of immigrants living in poor circumstances in society. The group will consist of seven immigrants with recent experience of low-wage jobs and of living in poor housing market conditions. The Immigrant Council shall work with an immigrant ombudsman who will be appointed from among immigrants to protect their interests within the city system and ensure that their voice is heard loud and clear in society. As the people on the council may be in a vulnerable position, it is necessary for the council to operate according to the needs of those serving on it, taking into account meeting times and other factors.

Explanatory memorandum:

It is clear that much needs to be improved in our society to ensure that it is truly for all of us. Those who have experience of what needs to be fixed are the ones who should say what needs to be changed for the administrative system to serve the needs of the most disadvantaged. It is therefore proposed that an immigrant council be established and composed of those with recent experience of the issues that need to be addressed. Emphasis will be placed on the voices that have received little weight within the city system and society, to ensure that the experience of those living in poor conditions and circumstances directly enters the administrative system and drives change. This way, it can be ensured that decision-making is shaped by the interests of those living in poor conditions that need improvement. It has been shown in the past that despite many warnings about the poor conditions and circumstances of foreign workers in the housing and labor markets, such warnings have not been sufficient to drive change. The individuals concerned may be in a vulnerable position, and therefore it is important that participation in the council is adapted to the needs of those who will serve on it. Here, factors such as language requirements that have been made need to be considered, as the official language in the administrative system is Icelandic. To address the fact that there are individuals here who do not have Icelandic as their mother tongue and express themselves better in another language, it is necessary to accommodate this. It is proposed that the head of the Human Resources and Work Environment Department be tasked with creating a good working environment with the council that takes into account the needs suitable for everyone on the council. It is also worth mentioning here that meeting times must take into account the needs of those who will serve on the council, and it must be clarified that this is a paid position, as is the case for other meetings held by Reykjavík City. It is proposed that interested individuals be advertised for council membership, with recent experience of low-wage jobs and of living in poor housing market conditions. If many show interest, the selection will be random, but an equal gender balance will be ensured as far as possible. It is also proposed that the Immigrant Council may appoint more members to the council as deemed necessary. Proposals for solutions to improve society for those concerned will either be developed within Reykjavík City or sent to a joint platform of municipalities, the state, or other parties as appropriate.