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14 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 26/2004
Within a day of a Turkish Supreme Court ruling that a strike to the nation's tyre industry is not a threat to national security, some 4,000 members of ICEM affiliate Lastik-Is at six plants have a new collective agreement. The new contract contains none of the concessionary demands of the major tyre employers-Goodyear, Pirelli and Brisa Bridgestone Sabanci-and, in fact, the union posted satisfying gains in the two-year accord.
The Supreme Court ruled 12 May that the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan overstepped its bounds by decreeing on 21 March that a planned strike the next day at Pirelli's factory in Izmit is illegal. Within hours of the court's decision last week, Turkey's labour minister called the two sides together and the agreement was put together in marathon bargaining over the next 23 hours. With the threat of a strike back on, bargaining momentum was in favor of Lastik-Is.
"The ICEM congratulates the leaders and members of Lastik-Is for their resolve in reaching this contract," stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. "You challenged a decision that was unjust and unfair and on winning the court matter, you have won at the bargaining table."
The contract, to cover the years 2004-2005, is void of any industry-proposed concessions. The tyre firms were seeking employer-paid health coverage removed from the contract, unlimited use of temporary workers, a separate and lower wage schedule for new employees, and a decrease in salaries and social payments.
All working conditions in the prior agreement will remain in force, and a wage increase every six months will occur that is tied to the actual rate of inflation for the period preceding. All Lastik-Is members receive a lump sum payment amounting to 3.5 billion Turkish Lira (€ 2,000). In addition, the union won three added paid holidays-two religious days and New Year's Day.
"This is a result of our spirit of struggle, will and determination," said Lastik-Is President Abdullah Karacan. I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to our fight and supported us. A special thanks must go to our brothers and sisters who cordially conveyed their support to us from abroad."
The ICEM and EMCEF lodged official complaints to the Erdogan government, the European Union and to the ILO.
The Supreme Court ruled 12 May that the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan overstepped its bounds by decreeing on 21 March that a planned strike the next day at Pirelli's factory in Izmit is illegal. Within hours of the court's decision last week, Turkey's labour minister called the two sides together and the agreement was put together in marathon bargaining over the next 23 hours. With the threat of a strike back on, bargaining momentum was in favor of Lastik-Is.
"The ICEM congratulates the leaders and members of Lastik-Is for their resolve in reaching this contract," stated ICEM General Secretary Fred Higgs. "You challenged a decision that was unjust and unfair and on winning the court matter, you have won at the bargaining table."
The contract, to cover the years 2004-2005, is void of any industry-proposed concessions. The tyre firms were seeking employer-paid health coverage removed from the contract, unlimited use of temporary workers, a separate and lower wage schedule for new employees, and a decrease in salaries and social payments.
All working conditions in the prior agreement will remain in force, and a wage increase every six months will occur that is tied to the actual rate of inflation for the period preceding. All Lastik-Is members receive a lump sum payment amounting to 3.5 billion Turkish Lira (€ 2,000). In addition, the union won three added paid holidays-two religious days and New Year's Day.
"This is a result of our spirit of struggle, will and determination," said Lastik-Is President Abdullah Karacan. I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to our fight and supported us. A special thanks must go to our brothers and sisters who cordially conveyed their support to us from abroad."
The ICEM and EMCEF lodged official complaints to the Erdogan government, the European Union and to the ILO.