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10 April, 2000The first court hearing was a success for Türkiye Dok, Gemi-Is in its struggle to regain fundamental trade union rights for shipyard workers.
TURKEY: The latest update from Türkiye Dok, Gemi-Is, an IMF affiliate which organises workers in the port, dock and shipbuilding industry, is that they have won a first hearing in court, following the military takeover of the Pendik (Istanbul) and Alaybey (Izmir) shipyards. After the terrible earthquake of August 1999 which completely destroyed the main naval shipyards in Gölcük, the government approved a decree allowing the military to take over the Pendik and Alaybey shipyards, along with the workforce and infrastructure. The government then declared that due to the "new status" of these shipyards, workers had to give up their union membership.
The union says that it is again officially recognised at these two shipyards, but the most important part of their struggle, concerning "sectoral definition", is still ongoing. Although it will be a difficult fight, Türkiye Dok, Gemi-Is says if it succeeds in getting legal permission to organise in every shipyard, particularly the military shipyards, this will be a real victory for the country's shipyard workers. The union is still making considerable efforts to keep the Haliç and Camialti shipyards (both in Istanbul) functional, following the government's decision to close them.
Türkiye Dok, Gemi-Is is very grateful to the IMF and its affiliates for their solidarity in this very difficult time, saying that this support did indeed have an effect on government officials. A number of protest letters were written to Turkey's president, prime minister and other government ministers, as well as to the president and various members of the European Commission to highlight Turkey's utter disregard for long-established international trade union rights (Turkey is under consideration for membership in the European Community). The IMF also filed a complaint with the International Labour Organisation.
The union says that it is again officially recognised at these two shipyards, but the most important part of their struggle, concerning "sectoral definition", is still ongoing. Although it will be a difficult fight, Türkiye Dok, Gemi-Is says if it succeeds in getting legal permission to organise in every shipyard, particularly the military shipyards, this will be a real victory for the country's shipyard workers. The union is still making considerable efforts to keep the Haliç and Camialti shipyards (both in Istanbul) functional, following the government's decision to close them.
Türkiye Dok, Gemi-Is is very grateful to the IMF and its affiliates for their solidarity in this very difficult time, saying that this support did indeed have an effect on government officials. A number of protest letters were written to Turkey's president, prime minister and other government ministers, as well as to the president and various members of the European Commission to highlight Turkey's utter disregard for long-established international trade union rights (Turkey is under consideration for membership in the European Community). The IMF also filed a complaint with the International Labour Organisation.