News

Commerce unions from around the world launched the UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance, creating a platform to further develop global and local labour relations with the company management to promote the wellbeing of the workers and IKEA’s business success.



At the inaugural alliance meeting in Istanbul this week, delegates from 20 unions and 14 countries agreed a plan of action to jointly promote good practices at all IKEA workplaces.

“To us it is clear that all workers at all IKEA workplaces are equal and have the right to the same good working conditions and the same rights to become a union member and negotiate a collective agreement,” said Head of UNI Commerce Alke Boessiger.

The launch meeting was held in Istanbul to support workers at IKEA Turkey who are trying to get recognition as members of their union Koop-Is Sendikasi. Management of IKEA Turkey, which is operated by Turkish franchise firm Mapa, on 29 February, fired a worker who was a union member and was active in the Koop-Is organising drive. The Turkish union also reports that local management pressured and threatened workers who had arranged their leave to attend the alliance meeting in Istanbul.

At its meeting, the alliance adopted a statement condemning those actions and requesting IKEA and Mapa ensure that all workers at IKEA Turkey have the right to choose freely to be members of the union and called on company management to enter into a constructive social dialogue with the union in Turkey.

IKEA Group Global Human Resources Manager Petra Hesser and IKEA Senior Advisor Albert Martins met with the alliance in Istanbul on Wednesday and committed to work with UNI and the alliance to further develop cooperation between the company and the unions.

To improve working conditions in Turkey and to further develop cooperation with the company at all levels, the alliance has made the following proposals to IKEA management.

The alliance:

1. Has identified inconsistencies in IKEA's labour relations approach between different countries and asks the company to acknowledge and recognise this problem and to work jointly with UNI to develop the same good standard for all IKEA workplaces.

2. Supports IKEA's ambition to be the preferred employer and believes that the company must respect the following rights and conditions to fulfil this ambition:

· Guarantee union access to workers to enable them to fully exercise their right to freedom of association and collective bargaining,

· Institutionalise social dialogue at all levels to enable joint problem resolution,

· Pay and treat workers fairly and ensure a safe and healthy working environment,

· Recognise unions as social dialogue partners at all levels.

3. Seeks to develop cooperation with IKEA on issues such as part time / full time, health & safety, working hours and work pressure, training and others.

4. Requests that IKEA enter into discussions with UNI to agree a good global standard for all IKEA workplaces and to sign this standard into a Global Agreement between UNI and IKEA.

The alliance produced a brief entitled “Creating a better everyday life at work,” which outlines some of the positive and negative management practices at IKEA workplaces around the world. The unions will update the brief on a regular basis.