12 August, 2010In Turkey, 23 dismissed Birlesik Metal IS members were reinstated on August 9 after a weeklong peaceful factory occupation and strike for reinstatement.
TURKEY: Dismissed unionists of Birlesik Metal IS walked back onto the job on August 9 after a weeklong strike and peaceful aerial sit-in atop a 12-meter crane by the entire workforce of Çel-mer resulted in a reinstatement agreement concluded the evening of August 5, 2010.
The workers at Çel-mer Metal company in Gebze Cayırova, Turkey had originally joined the Birlesik Metal IS union in early summer. Upon discovering union activity inside the steel factory, the company dismissed 12 workers. The 12 dismissed workers began a public struggle for reinstatement in front of the plant and were reinstated on June 29.
However, instead of entering negotiations toward concluding a first collective agreement, the company continued to pressure workers inside to give up their union membership. When the workers refused to leave Birlesik Metal IS and continued to ask for union recognition and collective bargaining, Çel-mer dismissed 23 more workers on July 16.
On July 17, the 23 dismissed Çel-mer workers began a protest in front of the company grounds; however, this time, there was no response from the company.
On August 2, the 23 dismissed workers re-entered the plant and the whole workforce began an aerial sit-in strike, occupying an important crane inside the company grounds. The family members and supporters set up a tent in front of the factory. The company requested police back up and police were mobilized to the front of the plant.
Aerial sit-in strikes demanding reinstatement of victimized workers have not been common in Turkey. Thus, the peaceful Çel-mer sit-in strike drew great attention within and outside Turkey. During the tense time period of police surveillance in front of the sit-in occupation, local groups such as the Turkish UPS workers in TUMTIS to international ones such as the International Metalworkers' Federation sent solidarity delegations to the aerial sit-in at Çel-mer.
After conclusion of an agreement the night of August 5, victorious Çel-mer workers came down from the aerial sit-in and left the factory chanting, "the right to unionize cannot be stopped!"