Turkish Airlines will rehire 305 ex-employees, union head says

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet

Ex-employees hold a protest in this file photo. DHA photo

The head of Turkey’s aviation union has announced it reached an agreement with Turkish Airlines (THY) that will enable 305 ex-employees to return to their jobs.

Ali Kemal Tatlıbal, the head of the aviation union, Hava-İş, said they had reached an agreement with THY, Turkey’s national carrier. The union started a strike on May 15 this year.

"The signatures are written. Everything will be good for us. We will rehire everyone,” said Tatlıbal referring to the 305 workers, who were dismissed when they protested against a proposed strike ban, but THY rejected the union’s proposals.

Tatlıbal, elected as the new chairman of the union at the general congress held 10 days ago, met with THY Chairman Hamdi Topçu late Dec. 19. After the meeting, it was announced that an agreement had been reached and the details would be announced later.

THY had announced last June that it would not rehire the 305 workers who were laid off after participating in labor action to protest against a piece of draft legislation banning strikes and lockouts in the aviation industry. Hava-İş members conducted a slowdown strike on May 29, 2012.

Despite the objections, the draft law came into effect on June 3. The courts had decided in favor of more than 150 of the sacked workers from Hava-İş, which represents around 14,000 workers at THY.