Turkey: Key McDonald’s supplier unionised by IUF affiliate Tekgida-Is

IUF-affiliated Tekgida-Is has just won a significant struggle against East Balt company, a key supplier for McDonald`s chain restaurants in Turkey.

Tekgida-Is started organizing members at East Balt in late 2012 and completed the recruitment of more than half of the workforce in early 2013. Immediately after the union applied for a Labour Ministry certificate for the right to formally bargain, East Balt Company started to dismiss union members.

The union then threatened to picket McDonald outlets throughout Turkey and a few days later East Balt management asked for a meeting with the union and agreed to reinstate the dismissed workers and respect all union and collective bargaining rights.