23 October, 2008
Turkish trade unions and Global Trade Federations (GUFs) joined together on 20 October in Istanbul to lend support to workers of subcontract transport companies providing services to Unilever of Turkey. The workers have been denied basic trade union rights of freedom of association and collective bargaining, and were fired when they attempted to exercise those rights.
Unilever subcontracts shipping from its Turkish manufacturing operations throughout the country and the Middle East to two companies, Çipa and Şimşek. In 2007, when warehouse workers of the two companies began organising with the Turkish trade union TÜMTIS, an affiliate of London-based International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), they were met with repression and victimization.
Since April 2008, 87 workers – all of them union members – have been sacked.
Unilever Warehouse Picket Line, 20 October
Three Turkish unions, TÜMTIS, ICEM affiliate PETROL-İş, and TEKGIGA- İş, an affiliate of the International Union of Food and Agricultural Workers (IUF), held a joint meeting on 20 October. That meeting produced a strong commitment to step up pressure against Unilever to get the Anglo-Dutch multinational to intervene and reinstate the workers.
The three Turkish unions and the three GUFs also demand that Unilever order its delivery companies to recognise TÜMTIS and enter into bargaining with the union.
The discharged workers did not receive redundancy pay when they were sacked. The workers are now are in their fifth month of daily picketing at Çipa and Şimşek.
A local court decision did order reinstatement of the first group of workers who were fired, but the transport companies have refused to recognise the union, and even refused to meet with a joint Turkish trade union delegation to discuss the situation.
To date, Unilever management itself has rejected any responsibility for the gross breaches of trade union rights.
ICEM's Kemal Ozkan Speaks at Unilever Picket Line
Following adoption of the statement in Istanbul, leaders of the three Turkish unions, together with representatives of the three GUFs, travelled 40 kilometres to a Unilever warehouse, where they joined the sacked workers in picketing the facility.
ICEM, ITF, and IUF have promised to escalate pressure against Unilever so that its contract delivery companies comply with international labour standards.