[P2P-F] Fwd: L.A. Times : "Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers"

[Michel Bauwens]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Dante-Gabryell Monson <dante.monson at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 7:03 AM
Subject: L.A. Times : "Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers"
To: econowmix at googlegroups.com


http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410,0,5341610.story

Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers A union-organizing battle
hangs over the Ikea plant in Virginia. Workers complain of eliminated
raises, a frenzied pace, mandatory overtime and racial discrimination.

excerpts :

"Some of the Virginia plant's 335 workers are trying to form a union. The
International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said a majority of
eligible employees had signed cards expressing interest.

In response, the factory — part of Ikea's manufacturing subsidiary, Swedwood
— hired the law firm Jackson Lewis, which has made its reputation keeping
unions out of companies. "

"Laborers in Swedwood plants in Sweden produce bookcases and tables similar
to those manufactured in Danville. The big difference is that the Europeans
enjoy a minimum wage of about $19 an hour and a government-mandated five
weeks of paid vacation. Full-time employees in Danville start at $8 an hour
with 12 vacation days — eight of them on dates determined by the company.

What's more, as many as one-third of the workers at the Danville plant have
been drawn from local temporary-staffing agencies. These workers receive
even lower wages and no benefits, employees said."



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