In the process of collective bargaining, which concerns hundreds of thousands of metal workers, the Turkish Metal Union, which could not come to an agreement with the employer union and MESS, decided to strike.
Group Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations between the Turkish Metal Union and the Metal Industrialists Employers' Union (MESS), which started on October 12, 2021 and concern 130,000 workers, were interrupted in the session held on December 7, 2021, upon Türk Metal's departure from the table, and the parties kept the minutes of the dispute.
Organized protests in the fields and factories after the process stalled, Türk Metal decided to strike after the uncompromising attitude of the employers continued.
The strike decision was announced by the Chairman of the Turkish Metal Union, Pevrul Kavlak, in Gemlik. Speaking at the ordinary congress of the Gemlik Branch of their trade unions, Kavlak said,
Now we are where the word ends, we are at the point where the blade rests on the bone. In the next process, if action is action, if strike is strike.
“ALL WORKPLACES ARE AREAS OF ACTION”
Stating that they will continue their struggle with determination, Kavlak announced the strike decision as follows:
"I have come from here, from Gemlik, to announce to all of Turkey the most effective weapon of our struggle. I came here with our decision to strike. As of December 24, we took our decision to strike. It is not only streets, avenues and squares anymore, but now everywhere is a place of action, every place, all workplaces are arenas of action. May our strike decision be good, may our struggle be blessed."
THE COUNTRY'S BIGGEST INDUSTRY WILL GO ON STRIKE
Among the workplaces covered by the MESS Group Collective Bargaining Agreement, there are Renault, Mercedes, MAN, Türk Traktör, Ford Otosan, Tofaş, Arçelik, Bosch, Otokar and their sub-industries, which are the largest industrial organizations of our country.