IKEA Canada is suing Teamsters Local Union No. 213 for trademark and copyright infringement after learning that union members have been allegedly distributing pamphlets containing the company’s logo without consent during ongoing strike action at its Richmond location.
In a notice of civil claim filed in BC Supreme Court on October 18, IKEA Canada LP claims it learned in September that union members and persons unknown, on strike since May 2013, handed out pamphlets and posted material online using the company’s logo without consent. On October 2, the company’s counsel sent a cease and desist demand to the Teamsters to stop using the company’s intellectual property, the claim states.
Counsel for the Teamsters responded that they would “look into the concerns,” but “despite the warning,” the union allegedly did a mass mail-out of one of the allegedly infringing flyers with the words “LOCKED OUT” superimposed over the company’s logo. According to the lawsuit, the mail-out reached Burnaby, Vancouver, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, South Surrey and Surrey.
IKEA Canada LP wants an injunction restraining the defendants from using its intellectual property, an order to deliver all the allegedly offending material and damages for copyright and trademark infringement.
No statement of defence has yet been filed, and none of the allegations has been proven in court.
