Production restarts in Ford Turkey’s plant in central Anatolia

“Since the labor actions have ended, manufacturing activities have started in our Eskişehir İnönü plant effective from June 3,” the company, a joint venture between Ford and Turkey’s Koç Holding, said in a written statement to the Public Disclosure Platform (KAP). 

The company temporarily suspended its production operations at the plant on May 25 amid the labor protests. 
After days of labor strife, manufacturing operations restarted in the company’s Gölcük and Yeniköy plants in the northwestern province of Kocaeli on late May 21. 

Labor walkouts had begun in Oyak Renault and Tofaş, a joint venture of Italy’s Fiat and Koç Holding, in the province of Bursa on late May 14 and spread to parts makers and Ford plants in other cities.

The Tofaş and Renault workers had been demanding better conditions and a break with their Turkish Metal Labor Union, which they claimed had acted against their interests. The workers went back to work in Tofaş and Renault as reconciliation had been secured between the companies and the workers, both car manufacturers said in separate statements in late May. 

A prosecutor in Bursa, the heart of the country’s automotive sector, has however launched a probe into the sector’s striking workers, accusing them of supporting a terrorist organization last week.