A call for joint struggle from United Metal-İş: 'We must struggle in solidarity'

The meeting titled "The Right to Strike and Collective Action in Comparative Law Dimension", organized jointly by United Metal-İş Union, Labor Society Magazine and International Labor Law Dialogue Platform, started today (October 15, 2026) at the Elite World Hotel in Taksim, Istanbul.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting where law professors from Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Slovenia and France were speakers, DİSK Deputy Chairman and United Metal Workers Union Chairman Özkan Atar stated in his speech that the right to strike is not a matter of legal debate for metal workers, and that the only reality of workers against capital is their bargaining power.

Atar drew attention to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice given on May 21, 2026. In this opinion, the Court confirmed by 10 votes to 4 that ILO Convention No. 87 protected the right to strike.

Atar commented on this decision as follows:

"Recognizing the right to form a union and banning strikes means 'you are free to fly' to the bird whose wings you cut off."

Atar also stated that the Court did not define in detail the scope and conditions of use of the right to strike. For this reason, he said, the struggle will be about how to fill this right from now on.

Atar reminded that the Constitutional Court made the same decision regarding jurisdictional objections for the sixth consecutive time. According to the court, these objections eliminate the right to union. Atar said that union rights in Turkey are "nearly non-existent" due to industry and workplace thresholds, authority objections, strike bans and dismissals for union reasons.

"WE HAVE TO FIGHT IN SOLIDARITY AND COOPERATION"

Atar finished his speech as follows:

"With industry and workplace thresholds, objections to authority, bans on protests and strikes, dismissals due to union reasons, in short, union rights are almost non-existent in our country. We, as real class unions, regardless of confederation, as democratic mass organizations, professional organizations, political parties, all oppressed people and citizens in the struggle for labor and democracy, have to fight in solidarity and unity for humane life, for our union rights, for a fair income distribution and tax system. We have to fight in solidarity and unity for a fair income distribution and tax system for the coming days. "I hope that together we will successfully realize our struggle goals such as rallies, marches, and actions that can be held in workplaces."

Atar called on unions, political parties, democratic mass freedoms and professional organizations to take action in the coming days, regardless of confederation.

Speakers:

Prof. Dr. Reinhard Resch (Johannes Kepler University of Linz) European law,

Prof. Dr. Alpay Hekimler (Eskişehir Osmangazi University) Turkish law,

Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ring (Technical University of Freiberg) German law,

Prof. Dr. Luca Nogler (University of Trento) evaluates Italian law.