‘We are not for sale’: chair of Greenland’s top labor union rebukes Trump’s call for annexation
Jess Berthelsen, the longtime head of SIK—Greenland’s largest labor federation—strongly rejected Donald Trump’s renewed push to annex the territory, emphasizing that Greenland’s workers and communities want control over their own future. Representing thousands of public- and private‑sector employees, Berthelsen said Trump’s claims about foreign military presence in Greenland’s waters do not match what workers and local industries actually see. He stressed that SIK’s priorities are improving wages, working conditions, and long‑term economic independence through agreements with Greenland’s government and Danish employers. Berthelsen warned that U.S. threats of force undermine the cooperative relationship Greenland’s labor movement has historically maintained with American partners. He reiterated that Greenland’s workforce is committed to self‑determination and will not accept outside attempts to dictate the island’s political or economic direction.
See "‘We are not for sale’: chair of Greenland’s top labor union rebukes Trump’s call for annexation", Michael Sainato, The Guardian, February 9, 2026