UNI in headlines with IKEA alliance, Massmart decision in South Africa
“The level of press coverage shows that UNI is breaking through with its work to ensure union recognition and organising rights in the global workplace,” said UNI General Secretary Philip Jennings. “We are getting our message out and the coverage shows that it resonates with journalists and the general public.”
The IKEA story ran in at least 70 print publications and websites in at least 6 languages. There were also prominent stories on Swedish and Danish radio.
In the headlines:
“Ikea never admits it sacks someone because they are a union member” - Liberation.
“A global union for Ikea employees was born in Istanbul” - Le Monde
“Ikea: towards an international union alliance” - Le Figaro.
“Ikea unions meet in Turkey for a global alliance” - AFP
“Ikea employees around the world unite” - Spiegel Online
“Toil at Ikea” - Berliner Zeitung
“Workers will give Ikea global opposition” - Politiken (part 1, part 2)
“Unions reach out to local Ikea workers” - Hurriyet Daily News
In South Africa, UNI and its South African affiliate SACCAWU and other leading trade unions including SACTWU, COSATU and US affiliate UFCW welcomed a Competition Appeal Court decision on 9 March that vindicated its concerns about Walmart’s takeover of Massmart.
In the headlines:
“Massmart/Walmart: The movie is still running” - moneyweb.co.za
“Unions vindicated by Walmart-Massmart appeal decision” - nieuwsbank.nl
“Competition Appeal Court decision on Walmart-Massmart merger in South Africa vindicates union concerns” - polity.org.za
“Wal-Mart's S. Africa deal OK'd For Massmart merger, court orders rehiring of 503, aid for small firms” - The Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Along with major news coverage, UNI also got off to a strong start with a new campaign for equality.
On 8 March, UNI Equal Opportunities marked International Women’s Day with the launch of “That’s Why!” an online campaign to highlight women’s experiences as workers and trade unionists. The interactive website (http://www.uni-iwd.org/) includes women trade unionists’ stories from around the world. Women are sending in their stories to the website and in the six days since the launch of the campaign more than 4500 people have seen the campaign message on UNI Equal Opportunities’ Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/uniequalopportunities).