IKEA statement – Meeting of the UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance

Tuesday 28 May 2013

Having met in Stockholm on 21 and 22 May 2013, the UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance, comprising of union representatives including Mandate Trade Union and IKEA co‐workers from 16 countries, declares the following:

• Trade Union Rights are Human Rights.
• We call on IKEA to respect the right of all IKEA workers to join a union.
• We call on IKEA to be consistent in their approach to labour relations and social dialogue.

In order to exercise these fundamental rights, unions must be given access to the workers in order to speak to workers about their rights and about the benefit of joining a union, all of which would allow workers to make an informed decision.

Social dialogue includes dialogue with trade unions and we expect this practice to be applied consistently around the globe in all IKEA operations.

Having heard from IKEA workers and their unions, and shared both the positive and negative experiences of interaction with the company, the UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance commits itself to stand and act in solidarity on behalf of IKEA workers everywhere.

The Alliance formed the view that this solidarity is required, following numerous reports from certain countries that IKEA is, at this juncture, falling short in relation to its adherence to these rights.

The UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance has agreed to construct a plan to commence global solidarity actions in support of its goals, targeted at IKEA customers, stakeholders and the media in a number of key countries.

The Alliance is committed to working constructively with IKEA, but this relationship must be built upon the foundations of fairness, equity and respect as outlined above. This would be best demonstrated by working with unions and UNI IKEA Global Union Alliance to address the issues facing workers and their unions.