IndustriALL Global Union, a global federation representing 50 million workers across various sectors, has stepped in to address alleged anti-union practices by Japanese company YKK, known as the world’s fastener manufacturer, at its factory in Istanbul.
The Petrol-Is union, an affiliate of IndustriALL, organized a majority of the 670 workers at the YKK factory and obtained collective bargaining rights from the Labor and Social Security Ministry on May 21.
However, according to IndustriALL, YKK management has responded by attempting to undermine Petrol-Is’s organizing efforts through threats and intimidation, pressuring workers to resign from the union. IndustriALL claims that YKK’s actions violate both national labor laws and the company’s own code of conduct, which supposedly respects workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.
‘A clear violation’
Petrol-Is Chair Sleyman Akyz said, “Petrol-Is organized the workers at YKK and called on the company management to engage in collecti
ve bargaining. The refusal of the company’s local management to establish a relationship with the union constitutes a clear violation of workers’ rights.”
With IndustriALL’s backing, Petrol-Is is demanding that YKK management cease pressuring its members, engage in social dialogue with the union as the workers’ representative body, and initiate the collective bargaining process.
IndustriALL General Secretary Atle Høie has written to YKK, urging the company to halt its anti-union practices and respect workers’ freedom of association in Turkey. Høie called on YKK to adhere to international labor standards and for YKK Turkey management to immediately engage with Petrol-Is to begin negotiations for their first collective bargaining agreement.
Source: English Bianet