Contributor: Will McDonald

” victory for workers, employees at IKEA’s Swedwood plant in Danville, Virginia, voted overwhelmingly to form a union Wednesday. Workers at the bookcase and furniture assembly site will be represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW).

In true IKEA fashion, the workers have begun to assemble a better future with their own hands. By organizing into a union they have gained a voice on the job and a place at the proverbial Scandinavian-styled table. They responded to the specific problems taking place in Danville, and now have the tools in hand to fashion a new workplace.

While the collective bargaining rights of teachers are under attack across the country, we’ve heard plenty from politicians looking to score partisan points. But often drowned out in this cacophony are the voices of educators and school administrators who continue to point out that collective bargaining works for our schools. A new report from American Rights at Work Education Fund highlights the positive impact labor-management partnerships are having in our nation’s classrooms—and underscores the role collective bargaining plays in improving student achievement. It’s a tool for innovation that is improving education from New Jersey to California.