News

IndustriALL Global Union’s Turkish affiliate Tümka-İş has managed to obtain new gains through determined industrial action of its 215 members at Kimberly Clark’s operation in the town Gebze.

The settlement has been reached after two particularly major demands of the strikers were accepted by the local management. With the new collective agreement, notice periods have been substantially increased which Tümka-Is considers a remarkable step forward towards job security. The union members have also gained high wage increases. Particular regulations have been made for lower-wage earners which has brought more equality in wage scales.

Kimberly Clark management has also accepted to re-instate five dismissed workers whose employment contracts were terminated during the strike as they were claimed to insult strike-breakers via social media, particularly on Facebook. According to the deal, if the dismissed workers do not want to return back to their job, they are entitled to receive all their payments on the basis of the increases provided with the new agreement.

“We have had difficult days during this period, but always believed we would be successful to get our demands” said Ergun Tavşanoğlu, President of Tümka-İş. "My union and all strikers are thankful to IndustriALL Global Union and United Steelworkers for the support and solidarity in reaching this agreement".

IndustriALL Assistant General Secretary Kemal Özkan commented: “This is a real victory, the result of courageous, unrelenting and determined struggle done by Tümka-İş and its members”.