Commerce
Home Page

Commerce
work in multinational
companies

The labour relations situation in Metro Turkey continues to be difficult. Uni Commerce and Metro AG management from Germany were unable to break the deadlock between the company's Turkish subsidiary and the commerce union Tez-Koop-Is. Meetings in Istanbul earlier this month ended without success. At the group headquarters in Germany, management insists that it will not intervene. Uni Commerce has pointed out that this violates the agreement on trade union rights, which the company signed in November 1999.

During the last two years, Turkish Uni Commerce affiliate Tez-Koop-Is has continued to encounter problems in Metro. A veritable campaign to break the union is continuing despite several attempts by Uni Commerce to solve the situation. In November last year, Uni Commerce and Tez-Koop-Is signed an agreement with the management of Metro AG, Metro Cash & Carry and Metro Turkey, where the employers declared that they will respect the international labour conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining.

After a recent dismissal of a union representative, already the the second this year, Uni Commerce once again raised the situation with Metro. It was pointed out to the company's management that it actually was they who asked the international to help calm down the agitated labour relations in Turkey. This was done and during the last two years, Tez-Koop-Is has held a low profile, relying on the company to respect its part of the agreement, which was to develop a constructive social dialogue in Metro in Turkey. This was not done: Instead, Metro Turkey has used the situation to continue its union-busting activities, with a view of removing the union from its workplaces. 

Uni Commerce, supported by its German affiliates, has put forward a proposal for a long term solution to the labour relations problems in Turkey. This includes a voluntary recognition of the union and the conclusion of a voluntary collective agreement to regulate wages and working conditions. The country management in Turkey has until now refused, referring to legislation originating from the military dictatorship period, which enables them to withhold recognition if the union does not have a membership over 50 per cent in the company. Because of the campaign against Tez-Koop-Is, membership has indeed dropped from well over 50 to around 30 per cent.

It is obvious that the management of Metro's wholesale arm, Metro Cash & Carry, has not only known but also actively supported the strong arm tactics of the management in Istanbul. Whereas the relations with the group in general, Metro AG, have been constructive, frequent problems continue to be encountered in the Cash & Carry markets, also outside Turkey. However, also the Metro AG management has failed to ensure that the agreement on trade union rights is respected. Instead the company uses the Turkish labour legislation, which dates from the time of military dictatorship, to push pout the union.

At the request of Uni Commerce and the Metro AG management in Germany, a meeting between Tez-Koop-Is and Metro Turkey was held on 5 December. No agreement was reached at this meeting. Tez-Koop-Is is now launching action to protect workers' rights in this multinational. Uni Commerce and its affiliates will support the union in its endeavours.