SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - Ikea 'deeply regrets' use of forced labour

SUBSIM Radio Room Forums (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/index.php)

- General Topics (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/forumdisplay.php?f=175)

- - Ikea 'deeply regrets' use of forced labour (https://www.subsim.com/radioroom/showthread.php?t=199863)

Ikea 'deeply regrets' use of forced labour

http://img826.imageshack.us/img826/1...storyleeds.jpg
Ikea is the world's largest furniture retailer.

Quote:

Ikea has said it "deeply regrets" the use of political prisoners as forced labour in communist East Germany by some of its suppliers.

The Swedish furniture giant asked accountants Ernst & Young to look into the matter, dating back 25-30 years.

Quote:

The study indicates that political and criminal prisoners were involved in manufacturing for Ikea suppliers.

It also said that Ikea representatives at the time knew that political prisoners were possibly used.

In the past Ikea had given contracts to the East German (GDR) government.

Former political prisoners of the Stasi, the feared secret police, said they worked on the furniture, leading to Ikea commissioning the Ernst & Young report in May this year.Those former prisoners may now expect compensation.Rainer Wagner, chairman of the victims' group UOKG, has previously said that Ikea was just one of many companies that benefited from the use of forced prison labour in the former GDR from the 1960s to 1980s.

The group is campaigning for compensation for many former prisoners, whom they say carry psychological and physical scars from the labour they were forced to do.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20356945

Note: 16 November 2012 Last updated at 16:34 GMT

The only time a POS company has regret is when they get caught.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealhead (Post 1961417)

The only time a POS company has regret is when they get caught.

No doubt! :yep:

Great, now there are more unemployed political prisoners. :03:

Surely Ikea didn't choose them, it was the GDR government so they (meaning today's all encompassing Germany) should foot the bill, I don't want the cost of my gravadlax and meatballs to rise.

^You have learned how to eat meatballs and salmon, :up:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stealhead (Post 1961417)

The only time a POS company has regret is when they get caught.

Aye that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch (Post 1961546)

Surely Ikea didn't choose them, it was the GDR government so they (meaning today's all encompassing Germany) should foot the bill

I think they're too busy footing the bill for the rest of liberal spending, non-austerity embracing Europe. :D

It's not just Ikea though...there have been some sports companies using child labour and similar sources.

I won't even mention Primarni.

Oops, too late. :D

I have a IKEA glass table in the kitchen. Should I feel bad or ashamed, or what? :D

We have ways of making you make crap, crap as in rubbish.

Hang on they are still doing it...slave labour? :hmmm:

Quote:

Originally Posted by kranz (Post 1961806)

I have a IKEA glass table in the kitchen. Should I feel bad or ashamed, or what? :D

Not at all...I have a few Ikea items in my household and we can't be expected to have an in depth knowledge of every manufacturers processes.