abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
NGO Rejoinder

19 Dec 2022

Gıda-İş rejoinder to Euroserve re. union-busting at Turkey factories

In its reply to the BHRRC, Euroserve states that it is a company that provides only catering, cleaning, and facility management services. However, some employees work directly in production among the Euroserve staff at the PMI factory in İzmir...

Euroserve has stated that it is "upholding the core conventions of ILO". However, it is clear that they still need to read the conventions Nr 87 and Nr 98. Furthermore, the company went so far as to imply that the DİSK/Gıda-İş Union is unlawful.

Trade union laws in Turkey are in violation of ILO Conventions...Nevertheless, within the framework of Article 90 of the Turkish Constitution and ILO Conventions Nr 87 and Nr 98, trade unions negotiate with companies, without authorization from the ministry...DİSK/Gıda-İş Union is the legitimate representative of Euroserve employees in PMI Torbalı, as almost all of them are union members. Thus, Euroserve can consult and negotiate with DİSK/Gıda-İş in any issues. Euroserve denies the allegations of union-busting. However, the names of Euroserve officials who forced the workers to resign from the union by holding meetings and interviews in the workplace and trying to determine whether the workers are union members are [known].

Euroserve claimed to have regular engagements with unions...The company has thousands of employees and dozens of operations in Turkey. None of these operations are covered by a CBA. Euroserve workers are not union members, even if there is a CBA in the factories where they are subcontracted...

Euroserve claimed to meet with workers regularly...The company has never met with workers, elected worker representatives, or the union. It did not respond to any official correspondence. Interviews to threaten workers are not a peaceful dialogue mechanism. The mentioned Speak Up or similar dialogue channels are unknown to the workers in Torbalı. Right before the union campaign began, about 150 employees sent emails to Euroserve headquarters. However, no progress was made in solving the problems.

Euroserve lawyers propose to pay two monthly salary bonuses to the dismissed workers in the compulsory-official mediator, which is the preliminary stage of the labour court. This is not a way of social dialogue. And why does the company offer overpayments to employees it claims to have committed illegal acts?

Euroserve workers are paid 8000-10000 TRY. These wages are below the poverty line. The company tries to present the pay raises made due to mandatory/national/legal regulations as if they were its own decisions. Due to the high inflation and currency crisis that Turkey is in, pay raises, which are seen as numerically high from Europe, are insufficient...Euroserve makes wage adjustments and bonus payments without communicating with workers. In this case, it is a tool of union-busting.

Promises are made to the workers that if they resign from the union, they will get a pay raise, be promoted, be employed with a permanent contract, etc.

Moreover, in addition to the dismissed workers, the entrance cards of more than 100 workers have been cancelled and they are prevented from entering the factory...

Once again, we invite Euroserve and PMI, to consult with elected workers' representatives to rectify the disruptions in production in the workplace.

[The full rejoinder is attached]

Timeline