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UNI Global Union and Swedish Commerce Workers’ Union Handels in solidarity with U.S. IKEA workers

In an article with a publication of the Swedish Commercial Workers’ Union Handels , UNI’s Head of Commerce, Alke Boessiger said IKEA’s global leadership in Sweden must take responsibility and show its U.S. management that it is not acceptable to work against employees who want to organise a union.

"IKEA says it is for social dialogue. They can't say that and then refuse to enter into dialogue with their employees. Sweden has to make a stand. And if U.S. management is serious about supporting workers to organise in a union, then they can get rid of the law firm which is infamous for its anti-union activity," added Boesigger.

Ikea workers in Stoughton Boston have been forced into taking industrial action because all their efforts to establish a union have been thwarted by IKEA’s US management who have made it difficult for the union to talk to employees and warned them that joining a union would cause problems. The workers are joining the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the union for retail workers. The Boston-area IKEA store has been the subject of a recent National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) complaint, alleging that the company violated federal law by unlawfully infringing on the right of workers to engage in protected union activity. The company has since settled the complaint with the NLRB.

In the article Boessiger said IKEA’s US managements claim that workers didn’t want a union was ridiculous:

"The workers have three times very clearly shown that they want to organise a union. They have, among other actions, signed a request that they personally handed over to management at the Stoughton store.

"75% support is a strong majority. IKEA left workers with no other option than to use their union weapon, a strike, to show that they want to organise. UNI supports the strike. And to believe that those who actually go out on strike don't want to join a union, is ridiculous." Boessiger concluded.

The UNI Global Union World Executive Board which met at UNI head office in Nyon last week expressed its unequivocal backing for the striking U.S. IKEA workers. UNI’s General Secretary, Philip Jennings said “The UNI Global Union family strongly supports this organising push.”

UNI Commerce affiliates from around the world are showing their support by sending messages to the US workers.

See photos and messages of support here: www.facebook.com/UnionAllianceIKEA

Read the full article in Swedish here http://www.handelsnytt.se/stod-pa-facebook-ikea-anstallda-i-usa

Also see related article in English on IKEA's double labour standards here