Global Union Protests Turkey On Postpone Of The Strike In Metal Sector

- IndustriALL Global Union protested the decree of the Turkish government to postpone the strikes, including more than 15 bin workers, in metal Industry, via a letter sent to the Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, on Tuesday.

"Dear Prime Minister, I am writing this letter to you on behalf of IndustriALL Global Union, which represents more than fifty million workers in mining, energy and manufacturing industries in 143 countries worldwide" Jyrki Raina, General Secretary of the IndustriALL Global Union, said in his letter to the Prime Minister.

"To urge you to withdraw the decree postponing the strike in the metal industry, which has been called by Birleşik Metal-İş, and create a proper environment whereby free collective bargaining negotiations can take place. We are proud of having the union of Birleşik Metal-İş as one of the members of our large global union family."

"It is unbelievable that your Cabinet is banning the strikes on account of 'national security' as stated in the decree published in the Official Gazette from 30 January 2015" Raina went on. "We vehemently protest this act to ban these legitimate strikes. We do consider that this is a clear violation of the right to strike, which is one of the fundamental rights of workers, guaranteed by the Constitution of Turkey as well as international conventions--ratified by your Government--and the jurisprudence of the International Labour Organization (ILO)."

Raina accused Turkish government for misusing the relevant article of the Turkish Law on Trade Unions and Collective Labour Agreement, regularly, via strike bans. "In particular, since you came to power, a series of strikes in the rubber, glass, mining and metal sectors have been banned arguing that they are 'prejudicial to national security'" he said and added:

"The Turkish Government should know that its decision to ban the strikes constitutes a breach of international labor norms and standards. As a matter of fact, the ILO’s Committee on Freedom of Association ruled that the Government of Turkey, in suspending a strike in the sector on the grounds that the strike would be a threat to national security, was in violation of the principles of freedom of association."

Fundamental workers’ rights, particularly the right to strike, were no longer respected in Turkey, Raina said in the letter, reminding that the global union movement received daily reports of brutal labor rights violations being committed in Turkey.

"Therefore, IndustriALL Global Union calls on the Turkish Government to respect in full fundamental workers’ rights. In addition, please know that IndustriALL Global Union and its affiliates worldwide stand firm in solidarity with the striking metalworkers, who demand decent wages through their legitimate right to strike. IndustriALL Global Union will file a new complaint before the International Labour Organization. I once again urge you to withdraw the decree postponing the strike in the metal industry, which has been called by Birleşik Metal-İş, and create a proper environment whereby free collective bargaining negotiations can take place."