What will it mean to join Teamsters Local 213? There are a lot of questions - we'll cover some of the basics here, and then we encourage you to send us your own questions on our Ask Away forum.

What is a union?

A union is a group of people who join together inside a company to bargain collectively for better wages, stronger benefits and safer working conditions.

What do unions do?

A union's primary objective is to secure good contracts for its members and make sure the Collective Agreement is followed and enforced. Sometimes, the union administers some of the benefits from the contract, such as health plans and pensions.

How do you join Teamsters 213?

It starts with your interest and wraps up with a unionization vote. We've summarized the major steps on our Process for IKEA Workers page.

How does the union work out problems with management?

Issues can often be worked out informally through discussions with management. For more serious situations, the grievance procedure will kick in - that procedure will be explained in detail in your Collective Agreement.