An organising story in commerce sector TezKoopIs Union

An organising story in commerce sector Tez-Koop-Is Union/ TURKEY

Trade Union Movement in Turkey • The trade union movement in Turkey has mainly relied on workers in state economic enterprises and in central and local governments. • Starting from 1980, however, there has been a significant decrease in the number of public sector employees as a result of privatizations, commercialization and subcontracting in line with neo-liberal transformations taking place in the economy. • Parallel to this shrinkage of membership in the public sector, many trade unions lost members without any success in getting organized in the private sector and consequently their influence in industrial relations as well as in politics declined.

Tez-Koop-Is Union • In spite of the negative trade union environment and further difficulties specific to the sector, Tez-Koop-Is stands out as one of the few unions which succeeded in getting organized in the private sector. • The union is also trying to respond to the internal pressures for change through the development of a new trade union understanding in the face of changing membership profile. • It has collective agreements with Carrefour, Real and Migros in Turkey.

Tesco in Turkey • UK based multinational Tesco entered the Turkish retail market in 2003 • Today Tesco is operating in 22 provinces with 42 hypermarkets, 80 Express stores and 1 DC • HQ’s is in Izmir • Employs 7800 workers and serves more than 1 million customers a week.

Tesco organising campaign 2008 -2010 Goals; • Organise the majority of Tesco workers by the 2 nd half of 2010. (50%+1 at the company level) • Receive majority decision by the Ministry of Labour • Build a dialogue with the company • Negotiate and sign a collective agreement

Challenges • Lack of confidence towards the union because of the failed organising campaign in 2005. • Large number of stores and Tesco continued opening new stores. • Large geographical area. • Turkish legislation • Young workers • Intimidation of the employer

Timeline & Strategy Preparation: (March- August 2008) • Establish relationships and communication networks • Contact workers through friends, neighbours etc. • Regular café meetings and discussions about solidarity and the need to be organised • Identify «leader workers» and build solidarity groups in all stores • Discussion with leader workers about the union and worker rights

Timeline & Strategy Organising (August 2008 –April 2010) • Leader workers organised the workers inside the stores • Individual membership registration with notary public ( 20 € per member) • Planning and Reporting • Organiser Coaching • Regular meetings with leader workers

Timeline & Strategy Organising (August 2008 –April 2010) • Organising campaign started quietly • March 2009: dismissal of a leader worker, followed by public union statement • Pressure and intimidation by store managers and supervisors on workers • February 2010: Another dismissal of a leader worker: Company refused to discuss with union

Campaign Staffing • Organisers • Organising Secretary • International Secretary • Union President • Union Board

May 2010 7644 employees 3922 memberships • • • 6 May 2010: Majority application to the Labour Ministry 6 June 2010: Labour Ministry issued majority decision (3922 of 7644 workers ) 12 June 2010: Tesco Kipa appealed to the decision of the ministry

Recognition Campaign ( June 2010 - March 2011) • • 6 court hearings since June 2010. 3 press statements infront of the biggest stores Organising is still going on. 4260 union members (March 2011)

Cooperation with UNI Global Union • • UNI Tesco Global Union Alliance formed in June 2008. Alliance meeting in Izmir in June 2009 - Global Solidarity/ increased the motivation Meetings with leader workers. Store visits of UNI delegation

What we learned from our experiences? • Organising is the vital necessity of a union and it must be a “permanent” activity. • The necessity of an organising strategy; setting goals and timelines. • Not only recruiting but “organising” the workers. • The importance of the involvement of the leader workers to the union’s policy • “going on organising the union members” for better CA’s and to protect the organised force for strikes and actions.

Thank you !