Ikea Swedwood workers in Virginia vote to unionize

[a kennedy]

OMG.....don't know if this has been posted before, just read this.... win one for the union!!

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.

If Ikea management here continues to operate the way it did in the run-up to the union vote, it may be quite a while before a contract is ratified and working conditions improve. But the workers have taken a resounding step toward something better today—and sent a message to European companies that they can't assume the U.S. is a safe place to come to looking for a low-wage, docile workforce.

$19.00 an hour and 5 weeks paid vacation in Europe??? HOLY CRAP!!!
:wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow: :wow:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/07/27/999608/-Ikea-Swedwood-workers-in-Virginia-vote-to-unionize?via=blog_1


edit to change wording and to post source.

[Brickbat]

1. Hot damn. Sign me up for Swedwood products!

[ingac70]

2. Yes, $19.00 an hour and 5 weeks paid vacation in Europe....

and if the "Reagan Revolution" had never happened the US would probably be the same or better in wages (although prob not on the vacays).

[demosincebirth]

3. Chock one up for the GOOD GUYS!!

[leveymg]

4. Note to IKEA Board: Fire the US management team; export Swedish wages/benes

I think the biggest problem with American is the reactionary mindset and educations of its executives, managers and elected officials. If we could just fire almost all of them, we'd be a competitive country again.

Start with those who graduated from Harvard and taught at the University of Chicago. It's a top-down systemic problem.

[Booster]

5. Before I retired I was paid $25 an hr and had 8 weeks vacation

and 65 days of sick leave - ALL BECAUSE OF MY UNION. Of course, some union members took advantage of the sick days; it was meant to be used for when you really had a major illness, and we hated those members as much as the company did. But for the most part the members did not take advantage of it. UNIONS NEED TO COME BACK, DAMN IT.

[Dawson Leery]

6. k/r

[Mudoria]

7. I'm guessing that plant will be in SC or Alabama soon

[Dappleganger]

8. Fuck yeah!

Go union!!

:kick:

[Luminous Animal]

9. Good for them. Now if we could only get DUers to actively support union organizers and workers.