IKEA Montreal workers' labor action concludes at midnight
Updated Conference:
IKEA Montreal's union through CSN declares return to work tonight at mid, aiming for negotiation chance:
The unionized employees at IKEA Montreal are gearing up to get back to work tonight at midnight, as per the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN) spokesperson. A negotiation session is scheduled for Monday between the two parties.
The strike, initiated by IKEA Montreal Syndicate, affiliated with CSN, commenced Saturday midnight. The union members had voted for a 10-day strike action.
IKEA Montreal's website has issued a notice announcing the temporary shutdown of several departments, including the returns counter, delivery service, restaurant, and kitchen planning. As of 8:30 PM Sunday, the company reported that these services were affected due to the strike.
The notice outlines, "We stand with our colleagues in their right to strike and remain committed to forging a collective agreement and resuming regular operations as promptly as possible."
According to IKEA Montreal Syndicate, the employees are underpaid compared to those in similar workplaces. The union represents approximately 450 employees from entry-level warehouse positions to more advanced roles such as showroom and kitchen staff.
The organization states that the employer has not offered a wage indexed to inflation.
The union reveals that, across all salary levels, the employer has proposed an average 5% wage increase over four years. However, the union members find this offer inadequate, as it does not keep pace with the increasing living costs or certainly not reflecting IKEA's strong financial performance [2][3][4].
The employees have been working without a contract since January and have been demanding better wages and working conditions. The strike marks part of a larger movement for improved pay and work conditions as the employees have been out of a collective agreement since January 2025 [2][3].
As of writing, IKEA Canada has not responded to an email request for comment sent on Sunday. Previous email requests for an interview were also ignored [2][3].
With headquarters now in the Netherlands, IKEA operates 16 stores across Canada, three of which are based in Quebec: Montreal, Boucherville, and Quebec.
Additional Insights:
The union is pushing for closer wage parity with their counterparts in similar roles, and some reports indicate that the union is seeking a wage hike of around 14% [4]. The union's strike aims to secure not only a higher wage increase but also inflation indexing to protect their purchasing power [2][3].
- The French retail industry is experiencing a significant shift, as IKEA Montreal's union, CSN, has initiated a strike demanding a 14% wage hike and inflation indexing, aiming to match salaries with their counterparts in similar roles.
- The ongoing strike in the retail sector at IKEA Montreal extends beyond the store, affecting areas such as the returns counter, delivery service, restaurant, and kitchen planning, following a 10-day strike action called by the unionized employees.
- The science of workplace-wellness and health-and-wellness is gaining attention in the finance sector, with IKEA Montreal's employees complaining about underpayment compared to their peers in similar workplaces, calling for a more competitive wage structure and better working conditions to maintain a balanced work-life rhythm in the modern retail industry.
