IKEA Montreal union calls another surprise strike

IKEA employees in Montreal launched a surprise strike on Sunday, a week after ending another work stoppage.

The measure was taken because the employer reportedly did not improve its wage offer during last Monday’s bargaining session, union president Elie Zetrenne explained in an interview with The Canadian Press. The employer also reportedly refused to negotiate, instead requesting conciliation from the government. 

“He clearly doesn’t understand our reality,” he added. Zetrenne said the employer’s offer includes a 50-cent raise for employees at the top and a 0 per cent raise for those at the bottom of the pay scale. 

“It’s really an insult, so if the employer doesn’t want to return to the negotiating tables, we’ll continue with our pressure tactics,” he concludes.

IKEA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Canadian Press.

“The IKEA Montreal store is the best-performing in North America in terms of sales. And that’s largely thanks to its workers. The employer isn’t even able to thank them by offering them a decent raise,” laments Serge Monette, president of the Fédération du commerce-CSN, in a press release. 

“We are the best, so we want the best salaries,” adds Zetrenne. “A winning team has to be paid for, it deserves a salary.”

The IKEA Montreal-CSN union has more than 400 members, representing all of the store’s employees.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews