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Delegates from 14 countries and 20 trade unions from every region of the world are expected to attend the meeting.





“The IKEA Global Union Alliance brings together all the stakeholders, including workers, shop stewards and union leaders to work together with company management to ensure that good standards are in place in all IKEA workplaces,” said Alke Boessiger, Head of UNI Commerce Global Union. “We decided to launch the Alliance here in Istanbul to support our Turkish colleagues at IKEA who are trying to get recognition for their union Koop-Is Sendikasi.”



IKEA workers are joining Koop-Is Sendikasi in Turkey despite opposition from management. The IKEA Global Union Alliance is supporting their fight for recognition and collective bargaining rights.



A recent report from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) highlighted the “Turkish government's failure to protect workers from exploitation and intimidation by private-sector employers and state authorities. Weak and poorly-enforced labour laws, coupled with courts which are strongly biased in favour of employers, leave the country's workforce without protection from discrimination and largely unable to bargain collectively for decent wages and conditions.”



You can read the full report here: http://www.ituc-csi.org/IMG/pdf/tpr_turkey-final_.pdf



Workers will share their stories of what working at IKEA is like-- both positive stories on respect for union rights and as well as reports of anti-union and health and safety abuses in some IKEA locations. The alliance will also release a report on IKEA management practices in dozens of countries around the world.