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UNI says union elections at Stoughton will not be free and fair because of IKEA USA anti-union behaviour

IKEA workers at Stoughton Massachusetts, backed by the UFCW, have decided to go ahead with Monday’s elections on unionization despite profound concerns that IKEA USA management have unfairly influenced the workers.

Since agreeing to IKEA USA's demand for an election, the Stoughton workers have been threatened, interrogated and pulled off the job for up to two hours at a time, some for up to 30 hours, to listen to managers' anti-union views in captive audience meetings.

IKEA USA management have faced nearly a dozen allegations of Unfair Labour Practices at IKEA Stoughton since co-workers petitioned to request a union election in May. The National Labour Relations Board is currently investigating these allegations.

Beyond violations of American labour law, this anti-union campaign has also violated IKEA's principles, and the promises made to UNI Global Union and the UFCW.

IKEA managers at the Stoughton store have allegedly:

*             Interrogated co-workers about their support for the union

*             Threatened co-workers with loss of wages & benefits if they choose union representation

*             Held captive audience meetings & threatened to discipline a co-worker for asking if meeting was mandatory or voluntary

*             Told co-workers that the company would not negotiate an increase in money for wages & benefits

*             Disciplined a co-worker who spoke publicly in favor of the union

*             Discriminated against and isolated union-supporters

*             Distributed gifts and new equipment to co-workers ahead of the election, in possible attempt to influence the vote

*             Threatened to permanently replace co-workers who participate in strikes

Stoughton co-workers have already demonstrated their majority support for unionization three times. But IKEA USA management has refused to recognize their union, the UFCW, until the co-workers took the most onerous path to unionization under American labor law - an election overseen by the Labor Board.

UNI Global Union Head of Commerce, Alke Boessiger, “On countless occasions UNI has reached out to IKEA USA to agree a joint process to ensure that workers are informed by all parties and can hear directly from the union, the UFCW. Regrettably IKEA has refused a joint process as much as they ignored previous public votes taken by workers for union representation.

“Instead IKEA chose the most arbitrary way permitted under US law and despite other assurances engaged in an anti-union campaign. This campaign is not only in violation of US labour law but also IKEA’s own code of conduct and principles. These principles state the company’s commitment to freedom of association and the right for workers to join a union. IKEA USA has fallen a long way short by its anti-union activities in Stoughton. 

“Once again the UNI urges IKEA Global to step in and put its US operation in order.”