Workers Form 1st Ikea Japan Union To Fight For Higher Wages

The Tokyo Managers' Union has announced the formation of the "Ikea Japan Union," the first of its kind at the Japanese subsidiary of the major Swedish furniture retailer, following the disclosure that employees were not being paid for the time they spent changing into their uniforms, as reported by Satoshi Tokairin for Mainichi Japan.

Ikea Japan has not paid wages for workers' changing time since the firm was set up in 2006. I Photo: Gerard Stolk Flickr

Ikea Japan K.K. changed its policy in September to pay wages for time spent changing, but the new union plans to seek payment of back wages.

The Tokyo Managers' Union originally had some Ikea employees as individual members, and it was reportedly consulted by Ikea employees around the country in the wake of the internal rule changes.

The Ikea Japan Union was formed on September 14 as a branch of the Tokyo Managers' Union.

Ikea Japan has not paid wages for workers' changing time since the firm was set up in 2006. On September 1, it added a total of 10 minutes to workers' daily paid hours for changing into and out of their uniforms.

It has said that it will not compensate employees for that time before September 1 since "the labor standards inspection office has not pointed out any illegality."

At an October 18 press briefing, Tokyo Managers' Union secretary-general Akai Jimbu said, "If the time spent changing is working time, then the company should cover that time from the past, too. There was no explanation given to the employees, and the company's attitude is questionable."

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