News for today's 2018

IKEA lockout of Teamsters drawing international concern

1:58 PM Tukiyooo 0

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR0pxZ7Hekjoqste0q4WQA_AyJ1BLo0BiS8SOkzr6vByuSOX9qDPBvwR4TS0FgLxva59ce1zIhaM9JpEZs0mIdmSrHmCljfivFcHd74VJ0UtPUdBpFq6SJOLa6fKU6j8VtZrpobR3qXs9/s1600/IKEA+teamsters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlR0pxZ7Hekjoqste0q4WQA_AyJ1BLo0BiS8SOkzr6vByuSOX9qDPBvwR4TS0FgLxva59ce1zIhaM9JpEZs0mIdmSrHmCljfivFcHd74VJ0UtPUdBpFq6SJOLa6fKU6j8VtZrpobR3qXs9/s320/IKEA+teamsters.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our locked-out Teamster sisters in front of Richmond IKEA.</td></tr></tbody></table>The world is starting to watch <a href="http://www.ikeahurtsfamilies.org/" rel="nofollow">IKEA</a>'s 6-month lockout of 350 of our <a href="http://teamster.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamster</a> brothers and sisters in Richmond, British Columbia. The Swedish furniture retailer claims to be pro-family and pro-worker. But its brutal treatment of <a href="http://www.teamsters213.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamster Local 213</a> members is raising concerns about IKEA's attacks on workers at stores throughout the world. A new website, <a href="http://www.ikeahurtsfamilies.org/">www.ikeahurtsfamilies.org</a>, tells the story. On May 15, Teamsters rejected a company offer that included the imposition of a tiered wage structure. IKEA locked them out without pay to force them to accept pay and benefit cuts. Three weeks later, Canadian labor officials found IKEA guilty of using scab workers to keep the Richmond store open. The lockout dragged on, and on Nov. 7 an international fact-finding mission visited locked-out IKEA workers in Richmond. What they found concerned them deeply. The international labor leaders proclaimed the ongoing dispute was now under the gaze of the wider labor movement.  <a href="http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/11/08/Global-Labour-Richmond-Ikea/" rel="nofollow">The Tyee</a> reported, <blockquote class="tr_bq">The increasingly-fractious, six month labour dispute at IKEA's big box store in Richmond may be on the verge of a dramatic escalation -- all the way to Europe.</blockquote>Today, the <a href="http://teamster.org/" rel="nofollow">International Brotherhood of Teamsters</a> announced the launch of the new website in a <a href="http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1603821" rel="nofollow">statement</a>. <blockquote class="tr_bq">"The company I have grown up to love and admire has become one big corporate machine, at least in North America," said IKEA Richmond employee Julia Buczek. "It is upsetting to see that the original Swedish values that we have all looked up to and regarded in such a positive way are just going down the drain."</blockquote><a href="http://leftlaborreporter.wordpress.com/2013/11/21/supporters-of-locked-out-ikea-workers-to-rally-on-nov-23-2/" rel="nofollow">Left Labor Reporter</a> tells us the IKEA in Canada is busting the union -- and it isn't the only bad behavior by IKEA management. <blockquote class="tr_bq">The lockout, which has lasted longer than any other labor dispute with IKEA anywhere else in the world, the company’s take it or leave it attitude, and its efforts to coax union members to cross the picket line and return to work all suggest that IKEA in Richmond wants to be union free. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In Turkey, after workers voted to form a union, IKEA went of its way not to recognize the workers’ union. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">In France, police are questioning two IKEA executives about illegally spying on IKEA workers and customers. According to rt.com, the former head of risk management at IKEA France has already been charged with bribing police to obtain “car registration numbers and names connected with a list of mobile phone numbers” of union members who work for IKEA in France.</blockquote>You can help locked-out IKEA Teamsters in several ways: <ul><li>Visit www.ikeahurtsfamilies.org website.</li><li>Post a supportive comment on the IKEA workers' <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal213?fref=ts" rel="nofollow">Facebook page</a>. </li><li>Attend a rally tomorrow. Here are the details: </li></ul><blockquote class="tr_bq">TO BRING PUBLIC AWARENESS TO IKEA’S TREATMENT OF WORKERS <ul></ul>DATE:	SATURDAY November 23rd, 2013 <ul></ul>TIME: 1PM <ul></ul>PLACE: Very close to the IKEA Coquitlam store,(1000 Lougheed Hwy). <ul></ul>PLEASE BRING YOUR IKEA CATALOGUE TO THE RALLY! <ul></ul>Contact Info: Anita Dawson 604-876-5213 <ul></ul>Or anita@teamsters213.org</blockquote>

213 Canada IKEA lockout IKEA lockout of Teamsters drawing international concern

Our locked-out Teamster sisters in front of Richmond IKEA. The world is starting to watch IKEA 's 6-month lockout of 350 of our Teamster...

Locked-out IKEA Teamsters get help from European labor leaders

6:58 AM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3HNx-dZRUTFTBAk1Jwf4bcv24XoE3bjlJGEjIwyphq25ba9pIYFEJWsESoedakfFMsDGOPqRvdxLQboyhAZ42gGjGOsJY7AJyhY41oDSJZPifgdCZon56VqpuwiK41xBkxSp-A2VZHi3/s1600/IMG_6650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI3HNx-dZRUTFTBAk1Jwf4bcv24XoE3bjlJGEjIwyphq25ba9pIYFEJWsESoedakfFMsDGOPqRvdxLQboyhAZ42gGjGOsJY7AJyhY41oDSJZPifgdCZon56VqpuwiK41xBkxSp-A2VZHi3/s320/IMG_6650.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>An international fact-finding coalition of labor leaders pledged to help locked-out IKEA Teamsters in Richmond, British Columbia, after visiting workers and local leaders last Thursday. For over 180 days, more than 350 of our brothers and sisters from <a href="http://www.teamsters213.org/" rel="nofollow">Teamsters Local 213</a> in Richmond, British Colombia, have been locked out by management at their warehouse after they refused to accept draconian wage and benefit cuts. The IKEA workers were locked out after they twice refused to accept the furniture store's wage cuts by over 80 percent and voted for a strike mandate.  Instead of actually negotiating, the store locked workers out.  Local 213 business agent Anita Dawson, a former IKEA employee <a href="http://www.teamsters213.org/2013/08/ikea-richmond-locks-out-teamster-members/" rel="nofollow">says the company just isn't interested in working to a solution</a>: <blockquote class="tr_bq">The company has showed little interest in dealing with our issues at the bargaining table.  They seem intent on following their agenda, which involve cutbacks.  Our members are not interested  in going backwards.</blockquote>The international panel, headed by Peter Lövkvist of Sweden, visited Vancouver and Richmond to determine whether IKEA's confrontational approach in Canada indicates a change for the entire company. B.C. Federation of Labour President Jim Sinclair <a href="http://an%20international%20panel%2C%20headed%20by%20peter%20l%C3%B6vkvist%20of%20sweden%2C%20will%20visit%20vancouver%20and%20richmond%20this%20week%20on%20a%20fact-finding%20mission%20into%20the%20richmond%20ikea%20labour%20dispute.%20%E2%80%9Cwhether%20legitimate%20or%20not%2C%20ikea%20has%20developed%20and%20nurtured%20a%20reputation%20worldwide%20as%20being%20a%20good%20employer%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20b.c.%20federation%20of%20labour%20president%20jim%20sinclair.%20%E2%80%9Cthere%20is%20growing%20concern%20globally%2C%20however%2C%20that%20ikea%E2%80%99s%20confrontational%20approach%20to%20labour%20relations%20at%20its%20richmond%20store%20is%20a%20testing%20ground%20for%20the%20entire%20chain.%20this%20is%20what%20the%20panel%20will%20examine.%E2%80%9D/" rel="nofollow">explained</a>: <blockquote class="tr_bq">Whether legitimate or not, IKEA has developed and nurtured a reputation worldwide as being a good employer. There is growing concern globally, however, that IKEA’s confrontational approach to labour relations at its Richmond store is a testing ground for the entire chain. This is what the panel will examine. </blockquote><a href="http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/11/08/Global-Labour-Richmond-Ikea/" rel="nofollow">The Tyree</a> reported the fact-finders were troubled by what they found: <blockquote class="tr_bq">The increasingly-fractious, six month labour dispute at IKEA's big box store in Richmond may be on the verge of a dramatic escalation -- all the way to Europe. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">After listening to a wealth of emotional testimony from embittered IKEA employees during a hearing in Vancouver, international trade union representatives are pledging overseas action on behalf of the Richmond store workers, if the prolonged conflict continues. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">"We will do everything we can that's in our power," declared Peter Lövkvist, secretary of the Nordic Transport Workers' Federation, which represents 400,000 union members across all five Nordic countries, including IKEA's home base of Sweden. "We're not ruling anything out." </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Asked for specifics, Lövkvist mentioned measures such as publicizing the dispute in Scandinavia, demanding a "friendly" meeting with the worldwide company's top brass at its Swedish headquarters, and union members refusing to handle IKEA products. "That could include seafarers, dockworkers, longshoremen, truck drivers, warehouse workers," he said in an interview. "It depends. We could do a lot."</blockquote>IKEA <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/06/ikea-locks-out-350-teamsters-in-canada.html">has been illegally replacing workers</a> and is still trying to cut wages.  Although workers have said that they would reauthorize their current contract with a few small tweaks, IKEA refuses to listen. Though the fight has dragged on for over six months, the locked-out workers remain strong.  One member of the fact-finding team, Erin Van Der Maas from the International Transport Workers’ Federation, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal213" rel="nofollow">wrote to Local 213 after the visit</a>: <blockquote class="tr_bq">Your togetherness and support for each other has left a massive impression on me. It was a real honour to meet so many great brothers and sisters facing this lockout together with dignity and respect. I hope you all get the outcome you deserve - and we will be following up on this as soon as we get back to Europe.</blockquote>Show some solidarity!  Let Local 213 know you stand with them as well<a href="https://www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal213" rel="nofollow"> on their Facebook page</a>.

global solidarity IKEA lockout Locked-out IKEA Teamsters get help from European labor leaders

An international fact-finding coalition of labor leaders pledged to help locked-out IKEA Teamsters in Richmond, British Columbia, after visi...

Another Teamster organizing victory in Washington!

12:34 PM Tukiyooo 0

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8l930CpSGL2AKGok6-GogY_cKooswz-jhmFSmGBnJLamxEZ_S_dddNnYjmrEXdOzt34CHyR6QbmhzLgh4NtNdHjdnvkq51ilJqfNST9YhMuSJwnl93njREjs1zQeHyyyXqByV_IFzKj6/s1600/victory.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ8l930CpSGL2AKGok6-GogY_cKooswz-jhmFSmGBnJLamxEZ_S_dddNnYjmrEXdOzt34CHyR6QbmhzLgh4NtNdHjdnvkq51ilJqfNST9YhMuSJwnl93njREjs1zQeHyyyXqByV_IFzKj6/s200/victory.jpeg" width="133" /></a></div>Welcome to our 64 new brothers and sisters who work at an IKEA distribution facility in Frederickson, Wash.! They <a href="http://www.teamster.org/content/warehouse-workers-ikea-vote-join-teamsters">voted by a 2-to-1 margin to join Teamsters Local 117</a>. The warehouse workers voted on September 18, seeking fair treatment, respect, job security and strong representation. Mario Sapilak, a four-year IKEA employee, says he is thrilled to be a Teamster: <blockquote class="tr_bq">We are excited to have the strength of the Teamsters behind us. We need to have a voice at work and to have management listen to our concerns, and the Teamsters will help us achieve that.</blockquote>During their organizing drive, the workers got international support too. <a href="http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/uni.nsf/pages/homepageEn" rel="nofollow">UNI-Global Union</a> and other unions in Sweden that represent IKEA workers sent letters of support to Local 177. Tracey A. Thompson, secretary-treasurer of Local 117, said global solidarity and Teamster support paid off: <blockquote class="tr_bq">We are grateful for the strong support of our labor partners abroad as well as the support of our own international union – the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. We are happy to welcome the IKEA warehouse workers to the Teamsters. We look forward to working with them to improve their working conditions and to help them achieve a strong contract.</blockquote>This is a big win considering that IKEA is not exactly the most union-friendly employer. In 2011 the furniture giant <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2011/04/welcome-to-3rd-world-danville-va.html">moved its factory in Eastern Europe to Danville, Va</a>., to cut labor costs and take advantage of Virginia's "right to work" for less law against unions. And our brothers and sisters in British Columbia are <a href="http://teamsternation.blogspot.com/2013/07/ikea-locks-out-teamsters-for-8-weeks.html">still locked out by IKEA</a> after rejecting a concessionary contract. Unionized IKEA <a href="http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/uni.nsf/pages/homepageEn?Opendocument&exURL=http://www.uniglobalunion.org/Apps/UNINews.nsf/vwLkpByIdHome/B1970B05D330CBB9C1257BEB005548F1?OpenDocument" rel="nofollow">workers in Germany are also struggling</a> with the company. IKEA's bad labor relations are <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/10/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410" rel="nofollow">well known</a>. Fortunately for our new brothers and sisters in Washington, they now have the protection of a strong union and a great local that fights hard for its members. Welcome to the Teamsters!

IKEA Local 117 organizing victory Another Teamster organizing victory in Washington!

Welcome to our 64 new brothers and sisters who work at an IKEA distribution facility in Frederickson, Wash.! They voted by a 2-to-1 margin t...

IKEA locks out Teamsters for 8 weeks

12:57 PM Tukiyooo 0

Our brothers and sisters in British Columbia are standing strong against IKEA, which locked them out eight weeks ago. The furniture giant made a concessionary contract offer that 84 percent of the workers rejected. David Halme writes in <a href="http://www.thestand.org/2013/07/ikea-lockout-aims-to-bust-union-in-b-c/">The Stand</a> that IKEA now wants to bust the union: <blockquote class="tr_bq">More than 300 workers at IKEA here have been locked out of their jobs since May 15 when they rejected a company offer that included the imposition of a tiered wage structure. Teamsters Local 213 were thrilled June 5 when the British Columbia Labour Relations Board found IKEA guilty of using scab workers to keep the Richmond store open. </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Even though IKEA profits worldwide have consistently increased, they have a lousy reputation beyond Swedish borders. When on North American soil, IKEA treats their “co-workers” in a very different manner than they would dare in Sweden where the workforce is more than 70% unionized.</blockquote>Teamsters local 213 tells us: <blockquote class="tr_bq">Store manager Janet McGowan set out further hardball tactics earlier in June in a letter stating that employees who didn’t come in to work would see their working conditions cut further by diminishing the already rejected offer in stages; starting June 3 by imposing a wage freeze and eliminating the lump and minor wage increase (1.5%). </blockquote>Here's a terrific news report about the lockout: <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="236" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/AE3pm1doWTQ" width="420"></iframe> A recent youtube video (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKZfnilTlXk">here</a>) with images of the picket line includes this note: <blockquote class="tr_bq">Thank you for taking the time to watch this video </blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">This is not just about IKEA, this is about the labour movement and what is happening to working people.Using scab labor is the lowest business practice out there.</blockquote>You can post a message of support on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TeamstersLocal213">Facebook page</a> here.