ATIK | Confederation of Workers from Turkey in Europe | AHM-ATIK News Center
ÇORLU | 23 – 01 – 2011 | Our Union’s activities continue in Çorlu to convert this city from a heaven of cheap labor to a city where workers enjoy their fundamental rights.
Grup Suni Deri produces artificial leather for domestic and international markets. For international market, the company exports to Greece, Switzerland, Russia… There are 105 workers in the factory. There is production for 24 hours and workers work for 12 hours per day.
Main problems are;
– Workers can not get their salaries regularly. They are paid every 2 or 3 months.
– Workers also can not get their over working payments.
– There is a flexible working condition. For instance workers work on Saturday and according to the laws, they should get more salary, however administration orders them not to come one day in a weekday and they equalize these two days in the salary.
– There are no safety measures and even the company does not provide necessary working dresses.
Our Union organized in a relatively short term. The main reason for most of the workers was to get their salaries on time.
We have 65 members in the factory, therefore our Union has right to be recognized because of the passing % 50 plus 1 quota. Our Union also applied to the Ministry to make collective bargaining.
However the bosses and the administration began to attack to the fundamental rights and liberties of our members. Bosses refused to recognize our Union despite the legal procedures. By the 8th of December, the administration began to fire our members.
On 8th of December, 2 members;
On 9th of December, 3 members;
On 10th of December, 3 members; and
On 12th of December, 7 members; in total 15 members were fired.
Our Union initiated the resistance and despite the cold and snowy weather, our 15 members are waiting in front of the factory in tents.
There is a huge support from the workers who are in the factory. Our members inside work slower than before that normally factory produces 20.000 meters artificial leather per day and this was decreased to the half of the production. Our members inside also protest the anti-Union attitude of the administration and demand from them to recognize our Union and began negotiation.
As a result of these activities, now workers inside began to work 8 hours first time in the history of the factory.
Our Union demands solidarity from all Unions and progressive movements.
15.12.2010
Musa Servi
President
Deri-İş
Turkish Leather and Shoe Workers Union
