Ikea workers picketing outside the Richmond outlet the last 17 months have reached a 10-year deal with the furniture giant.
The agreement came about through binding recommendations made on October 22 by mediator Vince Ready, who helped the B.C. government reach a new labour agreement with striking teachers in September.
Ready ruled employees who crossed the picket lines to work at Ikea during the strike would be able to keep their jobs at the Richmond outlet, according to the retailer.
“That is something we had really been pushing hard for. We truly believe that people have equally the right to picket as they do have the right to choose to work,” Ikea Canada spokeswoman Madeleine Löwenborg-Frick said.
“And we now warmly welcome back all of our co-workers.”
After speaking to employees on both sides of the picket lines, Löwenborg-Frick said the overwhelming feeling is that people are excited the job action is over.
But she added the company would be focusing on team building and fostering a healthy work environment to ensure the transition runs smoothly.
“It will take time. This isn’t going to happen over night,” she said. “But Ikea is a great company and we hire great people.”
Teamsters Local 213 union spokeswoman Anita Dawson admitted there is apprehension among union members about going back to work with colleagues who crossed the picket line.
She said, however, members were prepared to live with whatever deal was reached after agreeing to give Ready the power to implement binding arbitration should the two parties not come to an agreement during mediation.
The new agreement features annual wage increases as well as a benefits package similar to what employees received prior to the job action.
Dawson would not confirm whether or not the workers who crossed the picket lines would receive the same wage hikes and benefits packages as union members who were on strike nearly a year and a half.
Although Löwenborg-Frick wouldn’t provide specifics about the wage increases involved, she said half of the employees make an hourly wage of at least $18.
