Montreal Ikea workers launch strike against Swedish retailers major store – Montreal [Video]

A union representing close to 400 workers at Ikea’s Montreal store walked off the job early Saturday, saying the Swedish company’s proposed wage deal offered no protection from inflation.

The CSN union said in a statement that Ikea has offered its members a five per cent wage increase over the next four years, but members rejected it because that won’t even cover inflation during the contract period.

Union members set up pickets outside the store Saturday morning, saying they want a better offer and catch-up wages comparable to workers at other Ikea stores they did not name.

The Montreal strike coincides with Ikea’s big annual sales event, called the Hej Days sale.

“IKEA’s finances are healthy. The company makes hundreds of millions of dollars in sales each year, largely thanks to our work, and it is unable to offer us inflation protection to maintain our purchasing power,” Nicole Aguilera, the …