<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Dante-Gabryell Monson</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dante.monson@gmail.com">dante.monson@gmail.com</a>></span><br>
Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 7:03 AM<br>Subject: L.A. Times : "Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers"<br>To: <a href="mailto:econowmix@googlegroups.com">econowmix@googlegroups.com</a><br><br><br><span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410,0,5341610.story" target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ikea-union-20110410,0,5341610.story</a></span></div>
<div><br></div><div><span style="line-height: normal;"><h1 style="margin: 0px 0px 8px; padding: 0px; font-size: 28px; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Ikea's U.S. factory churns out unhappy workers</h1><h2 style="margin: 0px 0px 18px; padding: 0px; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
A union-organizing battle hangs over the Ikea plant in Virginia. Workers complain of eliminated raises, a frenzied pace, mandatory overtime and racial discrimination.</h2><div><br></div></span></div><div>excerpts :</div>
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<br></div><div>"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.<br>
<br>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. "</div><div><br></div>"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.<br>
<br>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."</span>
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