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Post Info TOPIC: IKEA's Treatment of American Workers
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IKEA's Treatment of American Workers
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Here's a portion of an email I just received...


In Sweden, IKEA's factory workers are paid $19 per hour and get five weeks of paid vacation every year. In America? Not so much.

IKEA's Swedwood plant in Danville, Virginia is the most dangerous plant in the wood furniture industry -- workers there have suffered more than 1,536 days of lost work due to accidents on the job in a 30-month period. According to the LA Times, IKEA's Danville workers are paid as little as $8 an hour and face racial discrimination from their managers. Workers often find out on Friday night that they'll be forced to work for the entire weekend -- and if they can't make it, they face disciplinary action.

In Sweden, IKEA's factory workers are unionized, which is one reason they receive better wages and have a safer workplace -- but the company is going all out to prevent American workers from receiving those same rights and protections. Please sign the petition to tell IKEA to give its American workers the freedom to organize.

I suppose America is cheap labor for Sweden, but $8 an hour? Really? For factory work? You would get at least that much starting out flipping burgers. Further, it doesn't sound as though they are treated with much respect, and are working in an environment that should be safer. Reading the petition comments, it sounds like many Americans are going to start boycotting them.



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Yet other American owned corporations will happily exploit workers in China and other countries at less that $1 an hour...

That's what big business believes it has to do to stay in business these days, and not just Sweden. I woulda thought it a good thing that some overseas operation comes in & gives my people a job. A job based on my countries employment rules and following all of the obligations that came with that. I'm sure Ikea had no part in setting the minimum wage. Thet are just doing what all businesses do IMHO.

Would it be best not to have them employed at all or best to be employed under the conditions you present? I somehow don't picture Ikea as a sweat-shop. IMHO, at least they have a job they can start with and move up from, and more importantly can leave if they feel they're being ripped off.

BTW, I own no Ikea (furniture or shares).



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