A string of labour rights violations in the Düzce industrial zone in Turkey has shown employers in the area to be past masters at preventing workers from unionising, says the Global Union representing workers in the industry.
The latest example comes from the Venüs Giyim plant where in addition to dismissals and forced resignations the company's anti-union methods over the past few weeks have included shadowing union activists and members, luring a union member into a car on false pretences and questioning him for two hours, coercing a union member into signing a 'confession' recanting his earlier complaint to the public prosecutor, asking workers to pick out union members from among photos of the entire workforce, and blacklisting workers involved in union activities”.
Says Neil Kearney, General Secretary of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation: “The Düzce industrial zone has become a hotbed of union-busting where employers regularly swap notes and egg each other on in their anti-union efforts.
“But”, he warns, “the industrial zone is home to a number of leading fashion brands which require their suppliers to respect national and international labour standards.
This sort of mafia-style behaviour is not a good advertisement for Düzce or for the Turkish garment industry as a whole”.
Venüs Giyim is next door to the Desa Deri factory which has also come under fire in recent weeks following its dismissalof union members.
The ITGLWF has urged the company to reinstate the dismissed workers, to cease its anti-union activities and ensure full respect for the right of freedom of association as well as to begin a dialogue with the union representing workers at the plant, Teksif.
International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers' Federation
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