On Saturday we went to Ikea near Rimini to look for a chest of drawers. Here in the Marche we are spoilt for choice as there is an Ikea at Rimini and an Ikea at Ancona. Both equidistant and both the same apart from the fact that in one you go round the store clockwise and in the other anti-clockwise. As we had to meet Alba for coffee in Pesaro we opted for the Rimini Ikea and we were just in time to have our Ikea meatballs.
Ikea had been in the news last week as they are opening a new store in Catania in Sicily and are planning to recruit 350 staff. Ton Reijmers who is responsible for Ikea in Italy had arranged a meeting with the governor of the island Raffaele Lombardo.
After waiting outside the Lombardo’s office for over an hour Mr Reijmers was told that the Governor was out of the office and couldn’t see him and that Mr Reijmers would have to speak to the vice Governor. Lombardo is angry with Ikea because many of the jobs being offered are part time and also that Ikea are not taking on ex workers from local firms. In fact Ikea have recruited their staff through an internet questionaire and this is perhaps the rub. The “Ikea method” is in conflict with Lombardo’s method where he uses his influence to get people jobs who then vote for him. An ex supporter of Lombardo was quoted as saying that “for Lombardo transparency is inconceivable and to selet using the internet means no-one must pay politicians for a job”