Sweden: Unionen and Handels union step in to defend IKEA staff in Turkey and sign an international framework agreement

Repeated union rights violations, aka the limits to IKEA’s great principles.  IKEA’s stores worldwide are managed either directly by the group or by franchised.  In Turkey, the stores are managed by MAPA, a Turkish company.  The first store opened in 2007.  Yet, for several years, Koop-is, the Turkish union of office stag, retail and cooperatives) has been unsuccessfully trying to negotiate and sign a collective agreement with IKEA Turkey.  So far, local management refuses to recognize the union and to sign an agreement on social dialogue which would give employees the right to join a union without fear of retaliation.  Indeed, Turkish regulations state that companies have to sign such agreements if 50 percent of employees are union members…, or if it accepts the principle by itself.  However, on May 5, 2012, IKEA Turkey management sent a letter to its employees stating that the company recognized their right to join a union and that it was committed to social dialogue and peace.  On the contrary though, Koop-is claims that IKEA Turkey refused to commence talks and that the conditions for exercising union rights became even harder: management lobbying employees, layoffs because of union activity, dismissal for union activity or simply for joining a union, lobbying employees’ families….  Because of this and a declining number of members, Koop-is decided to take action and organized a demonstration against IKEA on September 8.