In one of the most significant American union victories in years workers at an Ikea-owned factory in the US state of Virginia have voted to unionize. The company – called Swedewood – has been conducting a viciously anti-union campaing. But the workers at the plant voted 221-to 69 in favour of joining the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers – the IAMAW.

A major element in the sucessful unionization drive was the support of the Building and Woodworkers International. The BWI is one of the global union federation that the IAMAW is affilated to. The BWI began an international campaign in support of the Swedewood workers after a delegation of its leaders visited the plant. Mr Street describes what happened.




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