Koop-İş to Dyson: "End the Illegality!" - Union Struggle to Continue Until Collective Bargaining Victory

ISTANBUL – Koop-İş Union staged a powerful press conference in Istanbul, strongly protesting the attempts by global technology giant Dyson to obstruct the unionization rights of its members working in Turkey's Dyson stores. Koop-İş stated that Dyson's "meaningless" objection to the majority certificate issued by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security has been ongoing in the Labor Court for six months, emphasizing that this situation constitutes a usurpation of constitutional rights to unionize and engage in collective bargaining (TİS). The union, backed by national and international support, called on the Dyson employer to immediately sit at the bargaining table.

Authorization Objection as Justification for Illegality: Workers Being Victimized

In the press statement, Koop-İş Union General Secretary for Organization and Education Murat TÜRKEKUL noted that Dyson store employees voluntarily joined their union due to harsh working conditions, low wages, and inadequate economic and social rights. Türkekul stated, "Dyson workers joined our union entirely of their own free will, within the framework of our union's legitimate organizing activities."

However, Türkekul emphasized that the UK-based Dyson employer has disregarded the right to unionize, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, laws, and international conventions signed by Turkey. He stated that the objection to the majority certificate issued by the Ministry, based on legally unfounded reasons, aims to deliberately prolong the Collective Bargaining Agreement process and victimize the employees. Türkekul asserted that this unlawful process deprives workers of their constitutional TİS rights and blocks their path to economic improvement.

"Dyson Employer, Do Not Disrupt Industrial Peace, Sit at the Table!"

Murat Türkekul stressed that their struggle for collective bargaining at Dyson would continue resolutely until victory is achieved, and he issued a direct call to the employer: "We call out to the DYSON Stores employer: Come, respect organized society, the union choices of employees, and the decisions of our state institutions. Come, do not allow industrial peace to be disrupted. Come, let's sit at the Collective Bargaining Table. Let us collectively ensure that DYSON employees work with better wages, better working conditions, and better social rights."

Türkekul reminded that Koop-İş Union, with its 60-year history, is a deep-rooted part of the Turkish labor movement and the seventh largest union in Turkey with over 120,000 members. He stated that they draw this strength from TÜRK-İŞ and the Turkish labor movement, which has over a million members. The union explicitly stated that it would not hesitate to target the brand's reputation, not only through store actions but also by utilizing consumer power against this unyielding stance. It was announced that the protests would spread from Istanbul to other cities where Dyson stores are located.

Full Support from National and International Unions

Halil Faki Erdal, Deputy Regional President of TÜRK-İŞ Istanbul, who participated in the press conference, also stated that they always support Koop-İş's organizing efforts and called on the Dyson employer to withdraw its objection. Koop-İş branch presidents and representatives from TÜRK-İŞ-affiliated unions, Toleyis, Türk Metal, and Basın-İş, also attended the statement, showing solidarity.

Strong international support also came for the Dyson workers' union struggle. Mathias Bolton, Head of UNI Global Union's Commerce Department, representing over 160 unions and more than 4 million commerce workers worldwide, sent a letter of support expressing "full solidarity" with Koop-İş Union and Dyson store workers. Bolton emphasized in his letter that Dyson Turkey's management made the authorization objection "without any legal, legitimate, or justified reason," and that this is "never acceptable." UNI Global Union reiterated its call for Dyson Turkey to immediately withdraw the objection and urged Dyson's global management to intervene in the process.

The letter concluded with the calls, "Immediately stop obstructing the collective bargaining process! Sit at the table with Koop-İş Union and start collective bargaining negotiations!" The spirit of international solidarity was reinforced with the statement, "Until the first collective bargaining agreement is signed, we will continue our solidarity, shoulder to shoulder, with Dyson workers and Koop-İş Union, with determination. Victory will belong to the resisting workers!"

Koop-İş Union warned that Dyson, by disregarding workers' rights and freedoms in this process, would pay the price by losing significant brand value and stated that they would continue their struggle by also utilizing consumer power.