IKEA Mistreatment of US Workers Leads to International Campaign
The Global Union Federation, Builders and Woodworkers International and its United States affiliate the Machinists Union will next week launch a global campaign to educate workers and consumers about abuses at IKEA suppliers. The initial focus of this campaign is an IKEA owned subsidiary, Swedwood operation in Danville, Virginia, USA. The first phase of the campaign calling on workers and consumers to send a Christmas card to the CEO of IKEA has been completed.
Injury Analysis for Swedwood Corporation
Executive Summary: Swedwood workers in Danville Virginia are several times more likely to be seriously injured on the job as others in their industry and are 7 times more likely to have an accident requiring job reassignment. Since Swedwood apparently fails to keep legally required accident reports for all workers at this location it is probable that adding all worker accidents would double these already high accident rates.
Virginia Occupational Safety and Health Division Fines Swedwood, Danville for unsafe workplace practices!
The Virginia OSHA Division levied fines against Swedwood for numerous unsafe conditions and most importantly for improper record keeping. Confirming an IAM report released in July, VA OSHA found that at least an additional 8 workers were injured during the first half of 2010 which would more than double the accident incidence rate from what was originally reported. From the time OSHA drafted its report and the report was finalized at least 2 other workers were seriously injured.
Swedwood Campaign Update Newsletter
Volume 1 Issue 1 June 2010
Last week workers, friends, retirees, and neighbors showed up to demonstrate support for your fight for fairness. For every worker holding a sign about 100 others were at work themselves or they would have been standing up for your fight too.
Swedwood Campaign Update Newsletter
Volume 1 Issue 2 October 2010
Thanks to your information and help, the Machinists Union was able to get VA OSHA to do a complete inspection of the Danville operation.
Swedwood Campaign Update News letter
Volume 1 Issue 3 December 2010
In Dickens's “A Christmas Carol”, worker Bob Crachet asks for time off to be with his family during the holiday. Scrooge replies, “bah humbug.” Swedwood is offering the same response by cancelling the Xmas shut down.
IAMAW Makes News in Stockholm
December 1, 2010 - During the past two weeks, the IAM’s organizing campaign in Danville VA, location of IKEA’s wholly owned subsidiary, Swedwood, has received extensive coverage in Sweden, Not only a feature story in a large monthly Swedish magazine and numerous stories in some of Sweden’s largest daily papers, but a 15 minute feature on Swedish TV’s most watched news show high lighted the IAM’s struggle to create safe working conditions, promote social justice, and end unduly harsh treatment of workers in Swedwood by helping them join the IAM. Per-Olof Sjoo, President of the large Swedish Union GS has appeared on TV and in the print media calling on IKEA to honor their global agreement with BWI.
Surprise Bicycles for IKEA Workers in Hicksville
Tuesday December 7, 2010 12:36 PM By Patricia Kitchen
The spirit of Santa came a little early to employees of the IKEA store in Hicksville. This morning all 250 employees, both full and part-time, were presented with custom-made all-terrain unisex bicycles -- in truth a surprise gift from their employer.
IKEA Founder Makes Big Gains in Swiss Rich List
GENEVA - Swiss business magazine Bilanz says Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad's fortune rose by 3 billion Swiss francs ($3 billion) over the past year. Bilanz says Swedish-born Kamprad tops the list of Switzerland's 300 richest individuals and families for the ninth straight year.
It estimates the furniture magnate's total fortune at 38-39 billion francs.
A rival list of the world's super-rich compiled by Forbes magazine puts the Kamprad family's combined wealth at $23 billion.
