INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-TURKEY:

SUPPORT WORKERS AT THE MENDERES FACTORY:

The following appeal is from the Clean Clothes Campaign, a coalition that supports workers in the garment and cloth trades worldwide.

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IKEA and Household Retailers Abet Union Busting at Turkish Supplier:

While a serious case of union-busting at a Turkish supplier factory is happening right under their noses, retail giants IKEA, Wal-Mart and Carrefour choose to stand by idly. Other household retail chains such as Otto, Ibena, Target and Kohl's as well as the German textile traders Horizonte have been equally silent about the basic labour right violation against hundreds of workers at their supplier. In addition, working conditions in the factory are unacceptably dangerous.

Support the Turkish union in their struggle to improve labour conditions and safety at this factory. Write letters to IKEA, Wal-Mart Carrefour, Otto, Ibena, and Kohl’s and demand fair working conditions in their supply chain.

Take action now! >>
Background
Menderes Tekstil in South-Western Turkey produces bed linen for the home market and for export. Over the last years, four Menderes workers died due to work-related injuries. In the most recent accident, on November 20, 2008, one employee died when he fell into the funnel of a coal boiler. Workers reported that the boiler had no safety measures to prevent such an accident. After the tragic accident, the factory management reportedly ordered three colleagues of the victim to climb into the funnel to retrieve the body. Again, no safety measures were taken, and the three had no protection against toxic gases inside the boiler. They suffered respiratory poisoning and had to seek treatment in a nearby hospital.

In March 2008, the national textile workers union TEKSIF started organising workers at the factory. Since then, the Menderes management called the union leaders into their offices one by one, and gave them the choice between renouncing the union or being sacked. Turkish law prohibits dismissals or transfers as retribution for union organising.

Still, Menderes Tekstil continues their anti-union campaign. The management has repeatedly threatened workers whom they suspect of being union members, forcing them to leave of the union or to sign documents indicating voluntary resignation. In some cases, workers were assigned to new jobs for which they were not trained or qualified. If these workers refused to renounce their union membership or refused to accept the transfer or dismissal, the management on occasions has gone as far as to harass the affected workers' relatives if they also work at the factory.

In August 2008 workers and union representatives started protests outside the Menderes factory. The protests lasted for 190 days and were aimed at gaining acceptance of their union. Despite these actions, the company has continued to harass the unionists and has refused any dialogue with the union.

Meanwhile, eight court cases of wrongfully dismissed employees are currently before the magistrate. However, the judicial process could take years before producing any verdict.

Over the last years, four Menderes workers died due to work-related injuries.Brand responses
Menderes' main international clients have known about the problems at the factory for months but the only actions they have taken is to deny the problems, conduct investigations while refusing to release the results, or promise to take action on the matter, only to drag their feet. In doing so, they are also not living up to their own ethical codes of conduct.

The CCC and its trade union partners approached Menderes' primary buyer IKEA multiple times over the last months, but the furniture giant has not taken sufficient measures to solve the problems. IKEA commissioned an audit into the labour conditions at Menderes Tekstil, and concluded that there are no major labour problems at the factory. Although the CCC was never given a chance to view the audit report, the campaign has in the past raised serious concerns about the use of industry-commissioned audit reports that often lead to biased conclusions. The situation at Menderes Tekstil is in total contravention to IKEA's own code of conduct.

Carrefour in France and Belgium and Otto, Ibena and Horizonte from Germany initially responded to appeals by the CCC and its union partners to take action on the case. The US-based companies Wal-Mart, Target and Kohl's were similarly approached by our allies of the International Labor Rights Forum ). All have dithered on their course of action for months now, promising measures that seem more aimed at buying time than at effectively dealing with the problems at their Turkish supplier.

The UK-based Mothercare household retailers have taken constructive steps in addressing the problems, but they are not acting with the level of urgency required.

The CCC urges these companies to use their influence and insist that their Turkish supplier enters into a direct dialogue with trade union TEKSIF.
Urgent Action needed
The CCC and TEKSIF demand that Menderes and its buyers ensure:
**reinstatement with compensation and pay-back of salary arrears where appropriate for those workers who are currently engaged in court proceedings against Menderes Tekstil following their dismissal due to union activity;
**acknowledgement of TEKSIF as a legitimate union at your factory and to recognise their right to represent their members in factory matters, and to provide all workers with a guarantee that the company will respect their rights to organise and to bargain collectively.
**involvement of TEKSIF in the discussions around the company’s restructuring plans and the criteria for necessary dismissals.
**review of occupational health and safety measures at both factory plants, as well as a review of certain disciplinary and grievance handling mechanisms;

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THE LETTERS:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letters to various retailers about this Turkish factory's practices.

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Please take action now! Support our action and send letters to IKA, Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Kohl's, Ibena and Otto. See sample letters below....
Dear Madam, Sir,

re.: Menderes Tekstil, Turkey; supply chain; ethical code of conduct.

I am writing to you to express my deep concerns about the working conditions labour-rights situation at one of your suppliers in Turkey, Menderes Tekstil. I understand from the Clean Clothes Campaign that the factory’s workers are being denied the right to associate themselves into a workers’ union, and that the factory management dismisses, transfers and harasses employees who support the workers’ union.

I also read reports that the working conditions at the factory are unacceptably dangerous and harmful, leading to the death of four of Menderes' workers. All this in violation of Turkish law, international labour standards as per the ILO, and your own suppliers code of conduct.

I have been informed by the CCC that their efforts to address these urgent matters with you met with a refusal from your side to take swift and effective action to remedy the situation.

As a consumer and one of your potential clients, I am concerned about the working conditions surrounding the production of the goods you sell. I urge you to take up your supply-chain responsibilities seriously, and to demand from Menderes Tekstil:
**reinstatement with compensation and pay-back of salary arrears where appropriate for those workers who are currently engaged in court proceedings against Menderes Tekstil following their dismissal due to unionisation;
**acknowledgement of TEKSIF as a legitimate union at your factory and to recognize their right to represent their members in factory matters, and to provide all workers with a guarantee that the company will respect their rights to organise and to bargain collectively.
**involvement of TEKSIF in the discussions around the company’s restructuring plans and the criteria for necessary dismissals.
**review of occupational health and safety measures at both factory plants, as well as a review of certain disciplinary and grievance handling mechanisms;
Yours sincerely,
SAMPLE LETTER FOR IKEA

Dear Sir,

re.: Menderes Tekstil, Turkey; supply chain; ethical code of conduct.

I am writing to you to express my deep concerns about the working conditions labour-rights situation at one of your suppliers in Turkey, Menderes Tekstil.

I understand from the Clean Clothes Campaign that the factory’s workers are being denied the right to associate themselves into a workers’ union, and that the factory management dismisses, transfers and harasses employees who support the workers’ union.I also read reports that the working conditions at the factory are unacceptably dangerous and harmful, leading to the death of four of Menderes' workers.

All this in violation of Turkish law, international labour standards as per the ILO, and your own suppliers code of conduct.

I have been informed by the CCC that their efforts to address these urgent matters with you met with a refusal from your side to take swift and effective action to remedy the situation.

I also learned that IKEA commissioned an audit into the labour conditions at Menderes Tekstil, and concluded that there are no major labour problems at the factory. Although the CCC was never given a chance to view the audit report, the campaign has in the past raised serious concerns about the use of industry-commissioned audit reports that often lead to biased conclusions.

As a consumer and one of your potential clients, I am concerned about the working conditions surrounding the production of the goods you sell. I urge you to take up your supply-chain responsibilities seriously, and to demand from Menderes Tekstil:
**reinstatement with compensations and pay-back of salary arrears where appropriate for those workers who are currently engaged in court proceedings against Menderes Tekstil following their dismissal due to unionisation;
**acknowledgement of TEKSIF as a legitimate union at your factory and to recognize their right to represent their members in factory matters, and to provide all workers with a guarantee that the company will respect their rights to organise and to bargain collectively.
**involvement of TEKSIF in the discussions around the company’s restructuring plans and the criteria for necessary dismissals.
**review of occupational health and safety measures at both factory plants, as well as a review of certain disciplinary and grievance handling mechanisms;

In addition to these demands towards the management of the Menderes factory, I urge IKEA to take up the moral commitment it makes in its IWAY code of conduct and not to diminish or lessen orders at Menderes just because of the labour-related problems there. Reduced production or even a closing down of the Menderes factory is not in anybody's interest, and a ”cut-and-run” scenario would not reflect favourably on IKEA's social responsibility profile.

Yours sincerely,