Workers demand talks from swatch and jack & jones in Türkiye

Mathias Bolton, UNI Head of Commerce, criticized Swatch Turkey’s actions: “It is totally unacceptable that Swatch Turkey management challenged the collective bargaining certificate and blocked the entire bargaining process without a legal, valid or justified reason. We call on Swatch global management to immediately intervene and take all necessary measures to remove obstacles to collective bargaining in Turkey. Swatch, it is time to stop blocking collective bargaining. It is time to start negotiating a collective agreement!”

UNIA, UNI’s Swiss affiliate, also supported the workers: “We express our solidarity with the action taken by Koop-Is. These anti-union practices are unworthy of a responsible company. If Swatch does not negotiate with the union, we will denounce this situation in Switzerland to hold the group’s management to account. Swatch workers can always be sure of our support.”

The second demonstration was at Jack & Jones' Istanbul headquarters. The Danish Bestseller Group subsidiary operates 24 stores and employs 490 retail workers in Turkey. Similar to Swatch workers, Jack & Jones employees surpassed the union organization threshold but faced a court objection three months ago.

Koop-Is’ Murat Türkekul reiterated their commitment: “It is our first but not the last action. We will keep fighting until the objection is withdrawn, right to collective bargaining is respected and the first collective agreement for Jack and Jones workers is concluded.”

Mathias Bolton called on Jack & Jones and its parent company: “We join our affiliate Koop-Is Union in calling Jack & Jones Turkey management to withdraw its objection and negotiate a collective agreement with the union. We also call on ‘Bestseller,’ the global parent company of Jack & Jones, to immediately intervene. We will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Jack & Jones workers and Koop-Is Union until they secure the first collective agreement.”