17 October, 2013Joint campaign conducted by IndustriALL’s sister global union federations the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and UNI Global Union against DHL resulted in recognition for Turkish trade union Tumtis.
After a long struggle, Tumtis has managed to obtain certification from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security as an eligible union for DHL Turkey Supply Chain staff. The announcement that DHL will not contest Tumtis’ success follows two-and-a-half years of hard work by the union, which initially met with resistance and obstruction by local DHL management.
Along with the ITUC and other global unions, IndustriALL Global Union has given substantial support to the campaign by putting pressure on suppliers, particularly in automotive and pharmaceuticals sectors. IndustriALL Global Union approached companies including Volkswagen and Novartis and the actions of solidarity helped TUMTIS to victory.
Tumtis thanked all those who had supported them in their struggle. The union mentioned that the victory is not just its own, but a product of collective struggle and international solidarity.
“Under the difficult legal framework in Turkey, the only way for union organizing can be through global union solidarity” said IndustriALL Global Union’s Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan. “The victory of DHL workers is an excellent example on how to move forward.”
Read more on Tumtis' two-and-a-half-year struggle and the resounding international solidarity on www.respectatdhlturkey.org