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14 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 31/2003
The sacking of 300 union glass workers in the Turkish town of Eskisehir has caused the 20-million-member International Chemical, Energy, Mine & General Workers' Union (ICEM) to lodge an official protest with the offending company and the government of Turkey.
Union members of Kristal-İş in Eskisehir protest firings.
On 27 September 2003, the 300 members of ICEM affiliate Kristal-İş, the Glass, Cement and Soil Industries Workers' Trade Union, were fired, launching a mass sit-down strike at a factory of world glass exporter Pasabahce Co. Earlier in September, 700 workers including contractors at the plant in the Anatolia region of northwestern Turkey voted for union representation. The company (part of the holding firm Şişe-Cam Group) countered by attempting to force the resignation of the union leaders, but the unionists resisted this illegal pressure. Some two weeks later the company then sacked the 300 and hired other workers in an effort to block a union majority at the plant.
The terminations caused a sit-down by those discharged and their families outside the plant, and the remaining 400 workers inside the plant also commenced with a sit-down strike. In addition, some 5,000 unionised Turkish glass workers in other parts of the country condemned Pasabahce's unfair act with sit-down strikes and demonstrations at their factories.
In a 2 October letter to Pasabahce chairperson Gulsum Azeri, ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs wrote, "… your company's actions violate core Conventions of the International labour Organisation of the United Nations, namely Conventions 87 and 98 on the Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise, and Convention 158 prohibiting employment termination on the grounds of union membership. These ILO Conventions have been ratified by the Republic of Turkey.
"Further, such infringement of workers' legitimate rights runs counter to the labour standards of the European Union and does not bode well for wither you or the Republic of Turkey as your country makes preparations for entry into the EU." Higgs called on the company to immediate reinstate the discharged workers, and to come to agreeable collective bargaining terms. The protest letter was also sent to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan and Labour and Social Security Minister Murat Basesgioglu.
Since last year, the Glass, Cement and Clay Products Industry Employers' Association of Turkey has been particularly harsh on Kristal-İş, terminating the industry-wide collective bargaining agreement and tying the matter up in litigation. The glass industry has hindered collective bargaining by relying on the antiquated 10% threshold rule of the Collective Agreement Code in which 10% of workers in an entire industry must be union workers before a trade union is recognized for collective bargaining. Nearly all glass workers in Turkey are union members of Kristal-İş, as evidenced by the mass strikes and demonstrations in support of the 300 workers fired at Eskisehir on 27 September.
Letter from Fred Higgs, ICEM General Secretary:
2 October 2003
Mrs. Gulsum Azeri
Chairperson of Pasabahce Group
Is Kuleleri, Kule 3 80620
4 LEVENT-ISTANBUL
TURKEY
Mrs. Azeri:
On behalf of the 20-million-member International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM), I am writing in serious protest over the conduct of your company regarding the dismissal of 300 members of ICEM affiliate Glass, Cement, and Soil Industries Workers’ Trade Union on 27 September 2003 due to their legal trade union activity.
According to information we have received, Pasabahce Co. fired the union workers in Eskisehir, Turkey, after they and others lawfully chose union representation early in September. After management tried to force their resignation and the workers resisted this illegal action, the 300 union members were terminated.
I would remind you that your company’s actions violate core Conventions of the International Labour Organisation of the United Nations, namely Conventions 87 and 98 on Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise, and Convention 158 prohibiting employment termination on the grounds of union membership. These ILO Conventions have been ratified by the Republic of Turkey.
Further, such infringement of workers’ legitimate rights runs counter to the labour standards of the European Union and does not bode well for either you or the Republic of Turkey as your country makes preparations for entry into the EU.
I specifically request that Pasabahce Co. of the Sisecam Group immediately reinstate the discharged workers, and commence dialogue with ICEM affiliate Glass, Cement, and Soil Industries Workers’ Trade Union of Turkey to achieve agreeable employment terms and working conditions at this plant in Eskisehir.
I look forward to your response on this matter.
Sincerely,
Fred Higgs
General Secretary
CC: Mr. Recep Tayip Erdogan, Prime Minister of Turkey
Mr. Murat Basesgioglu, Labour Minister of Turkey
Mr. Dogan Arikan, Siscam Group General Manager
Mr. Refik Baydur, Chairman, Turkish Employers’Confederation
Mr. Mustafa Bagceci, President, Glass, Cement and Soil Industries Workers’ Trade Union
Mr. Reinhard Reibsch, General Secretary, European Mine, Chemical, Energy Federation