News

We, the trade unions representing commercial workers in Europe, which include many members employed by IKEA, have learned of the ongoing efforts by BWI and its affiliates (representing wood, forestry and construction workers) to support the around 300 workers employed at the Swedwood manufacturing plant in Danville, Virginia, USA, in their efforts to enjoy the right to choose to belong to a trade union of their choice.

We note that Swedwood is 100%-owned by the IKEA Group and has around 15,000 employees worldwide. It has only one customer, IKEA, for products such as LACK, BILLY, FAKTUM, APPLÅD, MALM, PAX, EXPEDIT, BESTÅ, BIRKELAND, LIDINGÖ, EFFEKTIV and LEKSVIK which it supplies to various IKEA stores.

We are deeply concerned that despite having signed a framework agreement with BWI for the respect of trade union rights at its manufacturing suppliers, IKEA and Swedwood continue to deny access for a trade union to talk freely to Swedwood workers in the USA. We have learned that Swedwood has hired a law firm for advice, and this firm (Jackson Lewis) is well known to trade unions in the USA as being a “union-buster”. From workers inside the plant, evidence has come to light of difficult health and safety conditions, mandatory overtime, as well as disturbing cases of racial discrimination.

We note that discussions between IKEA, Swedwood and the BWI and its affiliates have gone on for more than 1,000 days. Despite these efforts by the BWI, the union (IAMAW – International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) is still being denied access to the plant to talk to the workers and to let them decide freely if they wish to join a union and negotiate a collective bargaining agreement.

We express our full and active support for the campaign led by the Building and Wood Workers’ International and their affiliated unions and call on IKEA/Swedwood to fully respect the rights of their employees to choose a union and negotiate a collective agreement.

We call on them to do the right thing, open their doors and recognise the trade union at Danville, Virginia !