Gendered labor in the Icelandic fish processing industry

Abstract

The majority of women involved in Iceland’s fisheries sector work in fish processing and have immigrated to Iceland from other countries to work in the industry. Using data collected through interviews and surveys, this paper compares and contrasts the experiences of Icelandic and immigrant women who work in fish processing plants in the Westfjords of Iceland. It shows that Polish women experience a lower job satisfaction than Filipino women. As more women immigrate to places like Iceland to work in fisheries, it is important to understand their roles and perceptions of their jobs, since being satisfied with work can influence overall quality of life.