BWI Company Monitor

Following on the successful organizing efforts by the workers in Danville, Virginia, on Wednesday, January 18, IKEA worekrs at a regional warehouse in Perrydale, Maryland voted 183 YES and 119 NO, a margin of 61%, to represented by the IAMAW. The government held election will be certified within 10 days.

The election campaign as appears to be the trend was marred by several violation of the ILO core labor standards and the IWAY. In addition to threatening workers with losing their job if they engaged in legal job actions, IKEA management deployed security guards as spies. Several guards reported that they had be ordered by IKEA management to spy on pro-union workers and to report their names back to IKEA management. Other union supporters reported being taken into the office and polled about their support for the union (another violation) and then threaten with discharge or enhanced surveillance while on the job (both actions are violations).

This is the second consecutive election victory for the Machinists in an IKEA owned operation in the United States. Hopefully bargaining once it begins in Perryville will be as cooperative and honest as it was in Danville, Virginia. It is a testament to the dedication and courage of IKEA workers that they continue to vote to join unions in the face of such difficult and hostile attitudes by IKEA.

On December 17, 2011 in Danville, Virginia, the workers at the Swedwood plant in Danville voted to accept their first collective bargaining agreement which would go into effect on January 1, 2012.  After a long three year struggle 76% of the workers voted in July to join the international Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, an affiliate of BWI.

“Last year the BWI launched a global campaign to support the Sweedwood workers in Danville their right to decent work, justice, and a voice in the work place, and today, we can finally celebrate the workers decision to vote for a union as they have their first collective bargaining agreement.  Although the road to achieving this victory was not easy the persistence of the workers has paid off.  The BWI congratulates the workers in their efforts,” stated Ambet Yuson, General Secretary of BWI. 

The new agreement would limit the number of temporary workers and would require them to undertake a safety training before they can actually go into the plant.  It provides for a grievance process that is based on due process adjust cause.  As of January workers will be guaranteed access to a union steward and requires the parties to apply work rules equally to all workers as well as provide binding arbitration by mutually agree upon neutral third party should the union and the company be unable to resolve work rule issues.  The new contract will provide workers with a three-fold increase in vacation days as well as maintain existing holidays.  The point system which was viewed as punitive to workers or their family members who get sick has been modified.”

In addition three joint Labour Management Cooperation Committees—the Joint Health and Safety Committee, the Maintenance Committee, and the Training Committee has been established.

According to Bill Street, Director of Wood Workers Department for the IAMAW, “the establishment of these committees is based on the concept of “Social Dialogue” which is an important part Swedish labour relations.  These three cooperative committees are the first steps towards social dialogue in Swedwood.”

The BWI-led international campaign to for the Danville workers at the Swedwood plant in Danville was supported by a broad network of global trade unions and social networks.

After two days of bargaining the Machinists and Swedwood management in Danville agreed on language covering the  issues of training, technology, and uniform policy.

Given the rapid pace of technological change in today’s workplace, having policies in place that protect workers and at the same time ensure that employers have the knowledge, skills, and  abilities needed in the workforce make this proposal a win-win.  Prior to the introduction of new technology, the parties will identify the new skills needed and put in place training programs to upskill the workers who will be working on the new equipment.

The other Tentative Agreement signed addresss the issue of uniforms.  During the tense and confrontational election campaign, the issues of uniforms became a symbol of many of the issues that lead workers to form a union and join the IAM.  The newly agreed uniform policy will unite all departments in the  same uniform and most importantly during those months when temperatures inside become especially hot, climate appropriate changes will be allowed.  In addition the new uniform policy permits workers to upgrade to other options approved by the employer at the workers own costs.

While it may seem like a small item, the symbolism of the company and the workers being able to agree to these changes will not only have a positive visual impact on the work site but it is another example of the progress being made at the bargaining table by both parties.

September 29, 2011:  Prior to the election in July many workers even pro union supporters were too scared to come forward and tell their stories.  Others were too brave and because they could not be protected from discharge under US law the union did not tell their stories.  With the election victory this has changed many things enabling more stories of the conditions inside Danville to be reported

In January 2010, a print line operator was injured because a lead worker turned on the machine while the print operators fingers were still in it as he was cleaning it.  His fingers were caught and crushed.  As his fingers continued to swell and turn color he was taken into the supervisors office and asked to sign his discipline papers BEFORE they would take him to the Primary Care medical facility.  He asked how he was to sign since his writing hand was the hand that was injured and it was now swelled to the point that he could not use it even to sign his name.  The Supervisor told him to sign with his other hand which he did in order to get medical treatment.

He was disciplined for being injured when the root cause was that his lead worker turned on the machine without checking. 

We had already reported that a worker in July had passed out from the heat inside his department and was transported off site for medical care.  He left the operation on a stretcher.  We can now confirm that he too was given a point for leaving work early.

Last summer, the Band and Board Department was sent home early.  The Supervisor failed to do the proper paperwork and every worker in the Department was given a 1/2 point for leaving work early even though they were ordered to do so by the Supervisor. 

According to the Swedwood Co Worker Handbook:  “An employee who accumulates 2 more additional points (9 points total) during a rolling twelve month period will be terminated.”

Every time you miss because of being sick you get a point even with a doctors slip.  If your children are sick you get a point.  If your car breaks down you get a point.  Now we know if your told to go home or carried out on a stretcher or get injured on the job you get a point too.

September 23:  Today Swedwood refused to allow the union to have free communications with its members on bulletin boards in Swedwood plant in Danville.  By restricting free speech Swedwood has again interfered into the internal  operations of the union.  It is clear from these types of behaviors that Swedwood is not serious about building a partnership or engaging in genunine social dialogue with the union