UNI’s Turkish affiliates meeting in Istanbul to develop their Breaking Through plans for organising workers in UNI sectors in Turkey, made a resolution supporting striking Turkish Airline workers. Yakup Akkaya, the President of Basin-Is speaking at a press conference at Istanbul Airport, presented to the press and striking workers, the statement from the UNI Affiliates. He said that he was bringing the solidarity of UNI Global union and its Turkish affiliates who demand the reinstatement of the fired workers. The strike is taking place to demand that the 305 Turkish Airlines workers, members of Hava-Is, who were fired after a protest action in May 2012, to protest the amendment in Trade Union Law which has eliminated the strike right of aviation workers, be immediately allowed to return to their jobs. Following the action 305 union members was fired. affiliated to the ITF had
Despite the strike which has been going for more than 520 days, and attempts to negotiate a settlement by the Hava-Is and the ITF to whom the union is affiliated, Turkish Airlines have refused to reinstate the dismissed workers. The right of workers to protest is a fundamental human right and therefore the union had made this one of the key demand in its collective bargaining process. The employer refused to negotiate in this issue and therefore at the end of the collective negotiations Hava-Is went on strike. The message was carried to the striking workers and the press conference was made in front of the strike tent which is at the Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Many Turkish unions joined the action.