Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/727/14901
From The Socialist newspaper, 18 July 2012
Solidarity picket of Turkish Airlines
On Saturday 14 July an international 'Day of Action' protest took place demanding the right to strike and reinstatement of 305 sacked Turkish aviation workers.
Hava-Is the aviation trade union had been in negotiations with Turkish Airlines over several months over 'Mass Employment Agreements', which broke down. The government, with the backing of the Turkish president Abdullah Gul, then brought in a new law preventing aviation workers from taking strike action. The airline workers reacted to the ban with a one-day strike. Following this action 305 workers were sacked.
On the day of action in Hackney, London, Turkish trade unionists and political activists organised an eye-catching protest outside travel agencies that sell Turkish Airlines flights, with banners and placards and a giant inflated rat (supplied by the Unite trade union)! Similar events were held around Europe.
Many shoppers, pedestrians, local business people took leaflets and signed the petitions in support of the sacked worker, while activists chanted "the workers united will never be defeated". Unite produced placards showing its support for the aviation workers.
Turkish workers and trade unionists explained how the banning of strikes was against Turkey's own constitutional law and contradictory to the United Nations' International Labour Organisation (ILO) charter.
A further protest was held outside the Turkish Airlines UK HQ in Hammersmith, West London.
Patrick Atkinson, Hackney Socialist Party and Unite-LE 1111 branch (personal capacity)
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In The Socialist 18 July 2012:
Socialist Party news and analysis
March and strike against austerity
Miliband and Labour - no real alternative to Con-Dems
Tories stick the boot in on care funding
Oppose the closure of the Independent Living Fund
Witch-hunting Unison leadership "shabby" declares judge
Wales NHS - Reject the Case for Cuts report
Socialist Party workplace news
Support striking Remploy workers!
RMT cleaners Trans-Pennine Express strike
Fighting against exploitation of seafarers and port workers
2012 London Olympics
Olympics: The greatest sporting, and money-making, show on earth
Olympics G4S scandal shows failure of privatisation
Bosses bank in on corporate olympics - we get austerity!
Teachers fight school privatisation
Top-up fees: £50,000 debt leads to to 50,000 less students
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Southampton: two Labour councillors vote against Labour council cuts
Bristol protests counter racist EDL
Tolpuddle festival shows fightback needed today
International socialist news and analysis
Brazil: 'Miracle' economy slows
Solidarity picket of Turkish Airlines
Reviews and comments
Review: BBC TV documentary "When I get older"
Music review: Long live the struggle by The King Blues
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