INTERNTATIONAL TEXTILE, GARMENT LEATHER WORKERS’ FEDERATION

For immediate release:
July 28 2009

Menderes Buyers Urged to Encourage Union Meeting

Brands sourcing from the Menderes textile factory in Turkey have been asked to persuade their supplier to meet with the labour union Teksif to resolve a long-standing industrial relations’ dispute at the plant.

Says Neil Kearney, General Secretary of the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation (ITGLWF): “When workers at Menderes tried to unionise over a year ago, their efforts were met with harassment and dismissals.

“For over a year, the ITGLWF and its affiliate Teksif have been trying to arrange a meeting with Menderes in order to resolve these issues.

“On Monday, Tekisf formally requested to meet with Menderes for the purpose of dialogue and negotiation  in normal industrial relations’ practice.

 “Teksif, which was founded nearly sixty years ago, is the largest union active in the textile and garment sectors in the country and is party to collective agreements with some 150 separate employers.

“Teksif has reminded the company that the right of workers to freely organise without any intervention whatsoever is accepted to be a basic human rights. It has reiterated its desire to resolve the dispute through dialogue and has suggested that both sides meet as soon as possible to examine, in depth, the issues involved with a view to arriving at a rapid and mutually-acceptable solution”.

“The ITGLWF has asked the brands sourcing from Menderes to impress upon their the need to engage in good faith dialogue and bargaining with Teksif”.

Brands sourcing from Menderes include Ikea, Target, Wal-Mart, Mothercare, Carrefour, Kohls, and Sears.