IKEA Workers in Virginia Vote to Unionize

[blue neen]

"Ikea is, not unlike T-Mobile and its German parent company, one of these companies that have good labor practices in Europe and then come to the United States for cheap, union-free labor."

"But today, workers at Ikea's Swedwood plant in Danville, Virginia, voted to join a union. The vote was 221-69, despite a typical anti-union campaign:"

"Rather than remaining neutral and supporting a “Fair and Friendly” election as IKEA management had discussed with BWI and the IAMAW, the United States-based Swedwood management continued to follow the advise of its union avoidance law firm and conducted several activities designed to alter the outcome of the election. Regardless of these intrusive tactics that ranged from “voluntary” meetings with Swedwood management; rumours of plant closure; and promises of bonuses should the union be defeated, the workers decided to join the union. Issues of safety and health, racial discrimination, dignity and basic human respect were the main grievances that the workers had expressed as reasons for voting to join the Machinists Union."

"Conditions for Ikea workers in the U.S. have differed drastically from those in Sweden:"

"Laborers in Swedwood plants in Sweden produce bookcases and tables similar to those manufactured in Danville. The big difference is that the Europeans enjoy a minimum wage of about $19 an hour and a government-mandated five weeks of paid vacation. Full-time employees in Danville start at $8 an hour with 12 vacation days — eight of them on dates determined by the company."

"What's more, as many as one-third of the workers at the Danville plant have been drawn from local temporary-staffing agencies. These workers receive even lower wages and no benefits, employees said."

Read more at:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/27/999608/-Ikea-Swedwood-workers-in-Virginia-vote-to-unionize

I hope this isn't a dupe. The vote was held last week.

[blue neen]

1. Info from Change.org:

"Hundreds of employees at an IKEA plant in Virginia just voted to form a union, despite every attempt by the company to deny the workers their rights."

"You helped make it happen."

"Armed with 80,000 messages sent to company management, and a newspaper ad featuring your signature and those of thousands of other Change.org members, you proved that IKEA can't get away with exploiting workers anywhere. The workers prevailed, in part, because they knew so many of you were standing behind them."

[xchrom]

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[patrice]

3. K&R