Ford Motor’s Turkish unit halts output as labor dispute resumes

BURSA - ESKİŞEHİR

Cihan Photo

The Turkish unit of Ford Motor has suspended operations at one of its plants, after a week-long labor dispute flared up again just days after the company resumed production at another plant in Turkey.

Ford Otosan said it had stopped production at the İnönü Plant in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir as a precautionary measure after some of the workers who had been on strike refused to leave the plant. 

“Manufacturing operations at our İnönü Plant have been temporarily suspended until further notice,” said the company in a written statement to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP) late on May 25. 

Meanwhile, negotiations between protesting Renault workers and the company also failed on May 26 for the second time after more than six hours of talks. 

Oyak Renault workers in the northwestern province of Bursa said they were open to accepting certain offers from the company, but would not accept the version revised by their employer union MESS after the initial talks failed last weekend. 

The dispute over wages and working conditions started last week at factories in Bursa and spread to a number of parts suppliers in the area, which is the center of Turkey’s auto industry.

Workers said the dispute was sparked after union Türk Metal last month negotiated a 60 percent wage hike for workers at a plant run by parts maker Bosch Fren, but failed to secure a similar deal elsewhere.