Ikea Canada - The Editor, Re: "Family ties are being severed," Letters, Jan. 24. We find it regrettable that there is confusion with regards to facts related to the on-going strike at our Ikea Richmond location.
Ikea Canada - The Editor, Re: "Family ties are being severed," Letters, Jan. 24. We find it regrettable that there is confusion with regards to facts related to the on-going strike at our Ikea Richmond location.Throughout this dispute, Ikea has demonstrated a willingness to continue to bargain in good faith and to address many of the union's key expressed concerns, including benefits eligibility, guaranteed hours and eliminating the two tier wage system.All offers put forward by Ikea have included automatic annual increases for all our employees - no wage reductions have been proposed. On Sept. 13, 2013 the Labour Board ruled that "The wage rates of employees at the Ikea Richmond store are above the industry standard and very few retailers provide a comparable benefit package."In December alone, Ikea met with the union four times, in an effort to put an end to the strike before the holiday season.On Dec. 17, Ikea suggested a solution which would have allowed all Ikea Richmond employees to return to work under the terms and conditions of the expired agreement, while the parties resume negotiations. Teamsters rejected this solution on the basis that they refuse to work alongside the employees who have disagreed with the union and returned to work.Madeleine Löwenborg-FrickCorporate communications & public relations manager, Ikea Canada
