Union announces strike as issues with Turkish Airlines remain unsolved

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

After Hava-İş Union announced its strike decision on April 9 to push the company to rehire 305 workers it laid off last May after they participated in a labor action. DHA photo

The Hava-İş union has announced its decision to strike at Turkish Airlines (THY) as of May 15 for a collective labor contract as the time the union had given the airline ran out without a resolution.
Saying no results had been achieved in the meantime, the union said it had taken the decision to strike during its meeting to discuss the issue May 3.

Responding the Hava-İş decision, THY said it hoped that Hava-İş would reverse “this irresponsible decision” and sign the collective labor agreement that “16,000 workers expect to [sign] as soon as possible.”

The company added that it would not stage a lockout and the operations would continue without a halt as it hoped employees would not participate in the strike.

“If the union won’t behave responsibly, we believe our employees won’t permit a strike and will protect their future and their company, which they have turned into our country’s pride,” the statement said.

The union said all the losses that would emerge during the strike would be THY’s responsibility.

“We believe in our members, and we know THY won’t be able endure this strike even a day,” Hava-İş Chairman Atilla Ayçin said after hanging a sign announcing the strike decision on the THY administration building.

After Hava-İş announced its strike decision on April 9 to push the company to rehire 305 workers it laid off last May after they participated in a labor action, Turkish Airlines had proposed continuing negotiations.

The talks centered on 305 workers who were laid off for protesting draft legislation banning strikes and lockouts in the aviation industry and the collective labor rights of 14,000 THY workers who are Hava-İş members. THY has 15,800 workers in total, Hava-İş has said.