News

Following a long length bargaining process (that began in June 2008) and a legal pre-strike and lock-out period, Basin-Is and the Management of Alcan Packaging Istanbul Plant - Rotopak met in the Union's Istanbul Office on 29th of November, and arrived to an agreement.



Yakup Akkaya, president of Basin-Is stated that "We believe that we signed a good agreement, taking into account the difficult scenario provoked by the global crisis".

Yakup Akkaya, President Basin-Is and Mehmet Kurma, General Director of Rotopak





Reyhan Mutlu, shop steward in Alkan, told "Although we as the workers across the globe are passing through very hard times we concluded our 2nd Collective Agreement without any loss on our rights and even with new benefits."



The average wage increase obtained through the Contract is above the inflation rate; the wages will be increased automatically every 6 months at inflation rate, and the Management withdrew its demands of flexibility on working hours, vacations, social benefits, and others. The CBA came into force on the July 1 2008 and end on 30th of June 2010.



The European Work Council of Alcan supported the workers of Alcan Packaging in Turkey in their fight for a fair deal with the company.



One day after the agreement, the Rotopak workers were part of the Rally organized by the Unions in Gebze to protest against the job losses and the decisions that the government and the employers are taking to challenge the crisis. “They want the workers to pay the negative impact of the global crisis”, stated Levent Dincer, Head of Basin-Is Istanbul Office. “We were not invited to their party, and now we have to pay the bill”, he said. More than 3 thousands workers joint the rally.



For more information, adriana.rosenzvaig@uniglobalunion.org