The industrial action at the furniture retailer IKEA continues. On Wednesday morning 20 employes at IKEA’s Ghent (East Flanders) store downed tools. Meanwhile, the company’s store at Awans, near Liège is closed completely due to strike action by staff. The strike is in protest at staff shortages and pressure of work issues.
Katrien Degryse of the socialist trade union BBTK told VRT News that staff at the Ghent store don’t agree with the cost cutting exercise that is currently being implemented by management. "Colleagues that leave aren’t replaced. We have had enough of it, especially when you see that the shop makes a good profit every year”.
The staff taking strike action in Ghent work in the store’s logistics department. This means that on Wednesday many of the shelves at IKEA Ghent won’t be refilled. "I expect that the action will also be supported by some staff that work on the shop floor as they are also fed up with the pressure of work they are subjected to”.
Despite the industrial action IKEA Ghent remains open. Staff at the stores in Mons (Hainaut) and Anderlecht (Brussels) are also taking industrial action. Meanwhile, a strike by staff at IKEA Liège in Awans has closed the store completely. There is no industrial action at the 4 other IKEA stores at Wilrijk (Antwerp), Hasselt (Limburg), Zaventem (Flemish Brabant) and Arlon (Luxembourg Province) today (Wednesday 8 October). The unions will meet with management in an attempt to find a solution to the dispute on Wednesday afternoon.