IKEA Workers vote to join Union

by: Zappatero

Wed Jul 27, 2011 at 17:51:03 PM MST

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.

Let's frickin' hope so.

And for all the anti-labor, anti-union, pro-corporate whiners who will decry this - you know who you are - let them take the side of this highly profitable foreign corporation over the local Colorado workers who sweat within its walls. I hope they whine about it every day.....