Read the initial assessment issued by the Dutch NCP – 12 June 2019
Read the press release issue by the Dutch NCP – 20 July 2021
Read the final statement issued by the Dutch NCP – 6 July 2023

On 27 September 2018, UNI Global Union, a global union federation based in Switzerland, together with its affiliates (UFCW in the U.S., Mandate Trade Union in Ireland, SITESE in Portugal, and the Dutch FNV as a supporting voice), submitted a specific instance to the Dutch National Contact Point.

The parties alleged that the IKEA Group did not observe the Guidelines due to anti-trade union activities in the United States, Ireland, and Portugal, and that these issues occurred due to a failure in due diligence by IKEA’s global management in the Netherlands.

On 12 June 2019, the NCP published its initial assessment in which it concluded that the case merited further examination. Both Parties accepted the NCP’s offer to engage in mediation. On 21 June 2021, the Parties reached agreement on a global level. This agreement was meant to guide the Parties in the implementation in practice of the principles at the local level, and covered topics such as access to the workplace for trade unions and neutrality of the company towards freedom of association of workers.

In the next stage of the procedure the Parties met at the local level in the USA, Ireland and Portugal. The meetings in Portugal led to an agreement, no agreement was reached in the USA and Ireland. The NCPs of the USA, Ireland, and Portugal were invited to comment on draft statements.

On 6 July 2023, the NCP issued a final statement including recommendations to the company on a local level in Ireland, Portugal, and the USA. Recommendations included:

• (Ireland) The NCP encouraged the Parties at local level to establish a constructive dialogue while focusing on the future with a view to implementing the agreement reached at global level.
• (Portugal) The NCP encouraged the Parties at local level to continue their constructive dialogue with a view to implementing the agreement reached at global level.
• (USA) The NCP noted its view that access of trade union representatives to the workplace, within reasonable limits, and communication with workers is a precondition to realise freedom of association and collective bargaining. It is part of the due diligence expected the parent company under the Guidelines to ensure that these fundamental labour rights fulfilled in the countries where IKEA is operating. The NCP recommended that the Parties at local level continue their dialogue and work towards finding a practical solution concerning union access to the workplace that is in line with the agreement reached at global level. Concerning the issue of neutrality, the NCP recommended that the Parties continue their efforts to agree on the practical implementation of the principle of neutrality in the USA context.

The NCP plans to follow up on this specific instance one year after the publication of the final statement.