Metal Workers Go On Strike Over Poor Standards

Workers in the metal sector went on strike today at 20 workplaces in 10 provinces demanding better wages and working conditions after their union and employers failed to agree over a wage increase and to satisfy workers over the course of a collective bargaining period.

While two other unions for metal workers agreed with the Metal Industrialists' Union (MESS) over wage increases in September, the United Metal Workers' Union (Birleşik Metal-İş), which is part of the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions (DİSK), failed to reach an agreement with MESS and called on workers to go on strike on Jan. 29.

Today, metal workers at 20 workplaces began their strike. Considering those expected to walk off their jobs at 22 workplaces on Feb. 19, the number of workers on strike may be around 15,000 by that point.

Commenting on the union's decision, Birleşik Metal-İş head Adnan Serdaroğlu said workers in the metal sector are not being paid what they deserve based on their working environment and performance. The workers were forced to accept employers' offers in the last collective bargaining meeting; however, wages are still low and disproportional, Serdaroğlu said. He added that metal workers receiving an average monthly salary of TL 1,250 were offered a mere TL 120 increase, therefore Birleşik Metal-İş did not accept this offer, saying it would push workers into poverty once again. Criticizing unions that agreed to this wage increase, Serdaroğlu stated that yellow unions -- referring to unions that collaborate with the government and employers instead of the workers -- have always complied with the employers' offers.

Underlining that MESS has labeled the decision to strike a “political move” and therefore wants to estrange workers from the strike, Serdaroğlu noted that Birleşik Metal-İş overcame this problem by holding a vote wherein workers showed their wishes to go on strike. Serdaroğlu highlighted that 15,000 of the 110,000 workers in the metal sector are members of the Birleşik Metal-İş, and they will all have walked off the job as of Feb. 19.

Since most of the metal factories where the workers started striking today are located in Kocaeli province, the Kocaeli Chamber of Commerce (KSO) called on the government to prevent further strikes from taking place.

(Cihan/Today's Zaman)