IKEA promises to take responsibility for the working conditions of the drivers it works with. At a consultation in Brussels with the International Transport Workers Federation, it showed that it takes persistent concerns about working conditions seriously.
Together with trade unions, the furniture giant wants to work on fundamental solutions. Trade union FNV, which was also present at the consultation, speaks of a "breakthrough in dialogue". FNV believes multinationals should take more responsibility in hiring transporters and stopping social dumping and exploitation. "IKEA is the first multinational to now publicly state that it takes responsibility and wishes to work with trade unions to achieve this."
Unions are demanding that drivers working in the IKEA chain be given employment contracts in the countries where they actually work. This will give drivers more protection and rights and stop them being played off against each other. Vice-president of the ITF road transport section and president of the European Transport Workers Federation (ETF) Frank Moreels: "IKEA has now shown that it takes drivers' concerns seriously and wants to have a serious dialogue with the unions. That is a great first step."
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