Anita Dawson, with Teamsters Local 213, which represents the 350 employees who have been without work since mid-May, said last week’s proposal from the company did not satisfy issues surrounding wages, benefits and work guarantees.
Plus, the union is insisting those 35 former union members who went back to work at the Richmond store not be permitted to remain there once an agreement is struck.
“We don’t want them back in Richmond in a union capacity, and since there aren’t that many management jobs there, the logical thing is they would have to go to (Ikea’s) Coquitlam store,” Dawson said.
The 35 workers who crossed the picket line were expelled from the union following a hearing in June.
Dawson said there are varying degrees of punishment the union could mete out, which includes suspensions and fines.
Expulsion from the union was chosen because while those members did send legal representation, they failed to take part in the union’s hearings in person to defend themselves. Plus, crossing the picket line was not a solitary incident.
“The fact is these people decided to repeatedly cross the picket line. When they signed on to work here, they knew they were entering a union environment, and one of the conditions was being a union member,” Dawson said.
Meanwhile, Ikea officials stated they fully support those who returned to work.
“Ikea respects its employees’ legal right to work, whether or not they are an actual union member, and is committed to protect employees to the fullest extent of the law,” stated company spokesperson Madeleine Löwenborg-Frick in a press release.
“It is not acceptable to the company that any employee should be terminated for returning to work.”
With the company digging in, the Teamsters’ Dawson said the issue centres around one of labour union solidarity and is one worth fighting in court, if it came to that.
Still, she added, the focal point of the labour dispute should not focus solely on that matter.
“The focal point of the issue here is getting an acceptable offer from the company,” Dawson said, adding that despite the length of the dispute, morale on the picket line remains intact.
“We had our members excited and looking forward to organizing their Christmas party this Sunday at a local community hall.”
