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UNI Global Union joined Basin-Is and E-Kart workers who protested company management, who have blatantly ignored freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, and parent companies Eczacibasi Group and Giesecke&Devrient who have not fulfilled their social responsibilities in their joint venture company.

The protest marked the one year anniversary of the strike at E-Kart. For three years the printer has refused to recognise Basin-Is as the union representing its employees and has refused to engage in collective bargaining. Last year on June 16 workers went on strike in protest.



Demonstrators chanted slogans like: “One Year Resist, We will resist”, “No union - no peace”, “E-Kart Workers are not slaves” and “Collective bargaining is our right, Striking is our weapon!”



“We gathered here to remind Eczacibasi of its responsibilities and of our unionisation and collective bargaining demands that we have been striking over for one year,” Basin-Is President Yakup Akkaya told the assembled demonstrators. "This strike is not for wages or social premiums but for basic workers’ rights to unionise and bargain collectively.”



He said Turkish group Eczacibasi and German multinational G&D, E-Kart’s parent companies, “call themselves a socially responsible business who respect art and culture and sport” but, he said, they do not respect workers’ rights and have stood by as local management have dismissed workers due to their union activities.



“Eczacibasi’s signing of the United Nations Global Compact for responsible corporate management seemed to be an attempt to improve its public image since, in practice, the company has done nothing to fight E-Kart’s hostile attitude toward its workers”, said UNI’s Olga Vinogradova.. Despite the attacks by the company, she said the union and workers will not give up their fight until they get union recognition and the company sits down at the table to bargain in good faith.



“This struggle will continue until E-Kart workers can exercise their rights; the Turkish working class continues to support E-Kart workers”, said Mustafa Turkel, the General Secretary of Turk-Is, the Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions.



He said the E-Kart workers had put their trust in the Turkish constitution, legislation and basic civil rights when they unionised and demanded collective agreement but E-Kart and its parent company have violated their rights by responding with dismissals, coercion and intimidation.



“We will challenge your code of social responsibility until you include ‘respect for core labour standards,’ E-Kart workers, Basin-Is and their supporters told Eczacibasi and G&D at the demonstration.



Images of the demonstration:

http://picasaweb.google.com.tr/basinis.sendikasi/EczacibasiEKartGrevinde1YL



Video of the demonstration:

part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX1rj3GalIg

part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3J1lzK77_0

part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khaEac8c7s0