News

After almost three years of a long and hard-fought campaign, UNI affiliate KOOP-IS has signed its first collective bargaining agreement with IKEA Turkey management. The CBA includes provisions for better pay and social benefits as well as improved working hours.

UNI launched the IKEA Global Union Alliance in March 2012 inIstanbul. Delegates from 20 trade unions and 14 countries joined the alliance to set about finding a global solution to local issues at IKEA.

The Alliance launched a mobilisation plan to support Turkish IKEA workers after IKEA’s Turkish franchisee Mapa refused to engage in dialogue with Koop-Is and openly resisted unionisation. The IKEA union has now secured recognition from the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security which gives it negotiation rights on behalf of the workers.

Head of UNI Commerce Alke Boessiger said, “This victory belongs to IKEA Turkey workers and their union KOOP-IS who never gave up in the face of strong resistance on the part of the company. The UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance is proud to have supported Turkish workers throughout this long campaign with both public and direct support actions around the world.”

“The union and local management now have to continue to build trust and develop constructive relationships for the good of both the workers and the company. A positive ongoing constructive dialogue between workers and employers in Turkey could be a model for IKEA sites all over the world. This result is a win for IKEA workers everywhere.”