20 December, 2011On December 17, 2011, workers at the IKEA-owned Swedwood plant in Danville, USA, voted for their first collective bargaining agreement which will go into effect on January 1, 2012.
USA: They are members of the IMF and the Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) affiliate, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW). In June they had voted overwhelmingly in favour of being represented by the IAMAW.
This is an important victory after a long campaign by the Machinist, and global action of the BWI. An important achievement is that the agreement includes language limiting the number of temporary workers to be employed in the facility.
According to the Machinists, the new agreement limits the number of temporary workers that can be hired and stipulates safety training before they enter the plant. It provides for a grievance process and access to a union steward. Work rules must apply equally to all workers, and the contract provides for binding arbitration by a neutral third party if work rule issues cannot be resolved. The number of vacation days is tripled, and existing holidays are maintained. The criticised point system has been modified.
Three joint committees will be established; a Health and Safety Committee, a Maintenance Committee, and a Training Committee. Bill Street, Director of the IAMAW Wood Workers Department, said "the three cooperative committees are the first steps towards social dialogue in Swedwood."
IKEA has an own code of conduct that touches on freedom of association; "The IKEA supplier shall ensure that workers are not prevented from associating freely" and collective bargaining; "The IKEA supplier shall not prevent workers from exercising collective bargaining activities."
This has contrasted with the local management's anti-union stance. Swedwood Group CEO Gunnar Korsell commented after the union vote, "We will respect the workers' decision, and cooperate with their representatives in a spirit of mutual respect."
See a full report on the BWI site here.
This is an important victory after a long campaign by the Machinist, and global action of the BWI. An important achievement is that the agreement includes language limiting the number of temporary workers to be employed in the facility.
According to the Machinists, the new agreement limits the number of temporary workers that can be hired and stipulates safety training before they enter the plant. It provides for a grievance process and access to a union steward. Work rules must apply equally to all workers, and the contract provides for binding arbitration by a neutral third party if work rule issues cannot be resolved. The number of vacation days is tripled, and existing holidays are maintained. The criticised point system has been modified.
Three joint committees will be established; a Health and Safety Committee, a Maintenance Committee, and a Training Committee. Bill Street, Director of the IAMAW Wood Workers Department, said "the three cooperative committees are the first steps towards social dialogue in Swedwood."
IKEA has an own code of conduct that touches on freedom of association; "The IKEA supplier shall ensure that workers are not prevented from associating freely" and collective bargaining; "The IKEA supplier shall not prevent workers from exercising collective bargaining activities."
This has contrasted with the local management's anti-union stance. Swedwood Group CEO Gunnar Korsell commented after the union vote, "We will respect the workers' decision, and cooperate with their representatives in a spirit of mutual respect."
See a full report on the BWI site here.