DHL: Respect Workers’ Rights!

www.itfglobal.org

March 2013

Dear Friends,

The action day held on 12/12/12 was very successful and we would like to thank all of those involved for their solidarity. TÜMTIS reported a sense of solidarity among the workers and a number of DHL workers joined the union following the action day. However, ITF affiliates still need to ensure pressure is maintained on the company as a number of new and disturbing developments have occurred in recent weeks. For example:

• Dismissals of workers have continued. To date some 29 workers have been fired.
• A newly formed union, Taşima-Iş has recently emerged and there is evidence that workers at DHL in Samsun, Istanbul and Ankara are being forced to join it upon threat of dismissal. Taşima-Iş was only set-up on 5 December 2012. Workers have told TÜMTIS that, under the coordination of the HR manager, DHL warehouse and other managers are taking them by car and minibus to the offices of Hak-Is, to which Taşima-Iş affiliated, to force them to join the new union.
• On 15 January 2013, a shelter built by the dismissed workers on the Kirac picket line for the winter was destroyed.

The ITF is therefore asking affiliates to take lawful and visible action in solidarity with DHL workers in Turkey on 26 March 2013.

The campaign demands remain: unconditional reinstatement of the dismissed workers; no further victimisation at workplaces; and establishment of formal dialogue between DHL and TÜMTIS so that there can be negotiations in good faith, leading to TÜMTIS recognition and a CBA for DHL workers. On a wider level, we demand that DHL must take responsibility and sign a global agreement on workers’ rights.

Please let us know as soon as possible what your campaign plans are so that we can publicise them accordingly. Send reports, pictures and news clippings to: inlandtransport@itf.org.uk

Winning this campaign is not only critical for DHL workers and their unions in Turkey but also for workers and their unions around the world; if we don’t respond to this dispute and tackle anti-union activity in Turkey today, there could be a problem in another country tomorrow.

We will keep you updated with developments.

In solidarity

Ingo Marowsky, Global Head – ITF Supply Chain and Logistics Organising Projects
Mac Urata, Section Secretary – ITF Inland Transport Sections

www.respectatDHLturkey.org