Wave of strikes in automotive industry
An unexpected wave of strikes occurred in the main industrial centres of the Turkish automotive industry. Over 20.000 metal workers at Renault, Fiat, Ford, Türk Traktor and some supplier companies laid down work in anger over the recent round of collective bargaining in the industry.
Very unusually, workers did not protest against their companies, but against the dominating trade union in the automotive sector, Türk Metal, and the Metal Employers’ Association MESS. The main criticism is that workers do not see their interests represented by Türk Metal, but instead accuse the union of being allied rather to MESS.
The protests might mark the end of the 35-year-old labour relations model in the automotive industry. In fact, the direct negotiations between workers’ representatives and company representatives already undermined the powerful positions of Türk Metal and MESS as the dominant actors in the sector.
Research Associate Emre Eren Korkmaz wrote an article about background and anatomy of strikes.
Please see his article: Unexpected Wave of Strikes
