Renault Worker: We Will Give Statement for Being “Gang Leaders”

Renault workers have been on strike for eight days. TOFAŞ, Coşkunözü, MAKO and Ototrim workers  joined Renault workers in Bursa province.

 A Renault worker talked to bianet:

"We put together a workers’ committee and have no leaders. We chose 30 spokespeople among us. Some of us have been negotiating with authorities. Firstly, employers requested us to choose spokespeople and then they blacklisted those people. Last night, I received a legal notice. We’ll give statement for being gang leaders today. I individually will make allegation against the authorities.“

What happened?

On May 14, 5.600 Renault workers stopped working requesting their demands. Workers from factories like TOFAŞ, Coşkunöz, MAKO and Ototrim stopped working soon after. The total number of workers on strike is fourteen thousand now.

Workers demanded rise in wages based on collective labor agreement (TİS). TİS was contracted Dec 14, 2014 between Metal Workers Trade Union of Turkey (Türk Metal) and Turkey’s Metal Industrialists Union (MESS) and the contract includes years between 2014 and 2017.

Labourers demanded pay raise up to 3 Turkish liras per hour. Apart from that, they have been complaining about Metal Workers Trade Union of Turkey. Quite a few workers quit their jobs. Ford Otosan (automotive company) in Kocaeli province explained that they stopped producing because of supply shortages related to the strike in Bursa province. (NV/BD)

 Click here to read this article in Turkish