By Patrick Raleigh, ERJ On-line news editor
Brussels-Turkish tyre workers union Lastik-Is has claimed victory in a dispute about the pay and conditions of around 4000 workers at six tyre plants in Turkey, according to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM).
The plants are operated by Goodyear, Pirelli SpA, Turkish firm Anlas Anadolu Lastik Sanayi Ve Ticaret AS and Brisa Bridgestone Sabanci-a joint venture between Bridgestone Corp. and Sabanci Group.
According to ICEM, the union negotiated significant improvements in terms of pay and conditions, while resisting a series of concessionary demands from the employers. The two-year deal includes inflation-linked wage increases, lump sum payments of around Euro2000, and three extra paid holidays.
The agreement was reached the day after a Turkish Supreme Court overruled an earlier government decree outlawing a planned tyre workers strike on grounds of national security.
Lastik-Is "challenged a decision that was unjust and unfair and … won at the bargaining table," said Fred Higgs, ICEM general secretary, in a press statement from the Brussels-based union group.
