Workers at the first U.S. Ikea factory
in Danville, Va., voted in favor of union representation on July 24.
Winning by a landslide margin of 76 percent, or 221 to 69, the
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
successfully concluded a three-year struggle at the factory.
Swedwood, the Ikea subsidiary that runs
the Virginia plant, forced its workers to endure low pay, cuts to
starting pay, firings, unsafe conditions and long hours.
African-American workers also faced discrimination, constantly being
assigned to the lowest-paying departments and least-desirable shifts.
Management also hired the union-busting firm of Jackson Lewis to
intimidate workers.
It was through solidarity, one of the
most powerful weapons in the working-class arsenal, that this
election was won.
“This struggle was global, with
support and assistance from every continent by more than 120,000
workers, various social partners, and many other global union
federations,” said Bill Street, union organizer and director of the
Wood Works Department of IAMAW. (BWI, July 27)
Once certified as the representative of
the employees at the Danville factory, the union hopes to resolve
these pressing issues. People have already begun expressing their
support and gratitude.
“So we can have a voice. So we can
all be heard and have another leg we can stand on when we need to,”
said worker Coretta Giles, explaining why she supports the union.
(Danville Register & Bee, July 27)
It was working-class unity and
courageous struggle that secured this first step in the fight for
justice at the Swedwood/Ikea factory. The struggle in Danville shows
that no matter how bad a situation seems, workers can defend their
rights by standing up and fighting back!
