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17 June, 2025For more than 150 days, workers sacked from Digel, a German menswear company operating in the Aegean Free Zone in Gaziemir, Izmir, have picketed against union busting.
The conflict began on 17 January 2025, when members of Turkish textile union Teksif were dismissed after the union secured a legal majority among Digel workers. The Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security confirmed Teksif’s status as the legitimate collective bargaining agent. But instead of engaging with the union, Digel challenged the certification and launched a series of legal manoeuvres to stall the process.
Digel contested the Ministry’s certification claiming that Teksif had no majority. The company first filed a lawsuit at a wrong labour court, which passed the matter to the competent court, the Court of Appeal. Digel has since escalated the matter to Türkiye’s Supreme Court, moves that union members believe are aimed at delaying recognition until Teksif loses support. “Justice delayed is not justice,” say the workers.
In the meantime, Digel has sacked seven workers over their union involvement. Legal proceedings for their reinstatement are ongoing.
In a joint letter to Digel’s management, IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Trade Union called for the immediate reinstatement of the dismissed workers and urged the company to begin negotiations with Teksif. The letter urged Digel to “abide strictly by national and international labour law, and reinstate immediately the seven dismissed union members, respect fundamental trade union rights, stop intimidating and threatening the workers, and engage in good-faith negotiations with Teksif as the legitimate collective bargaining agent.”
“We call on Digel management to be open to dialogue with IndustriALL Global and Europe along with Teksif and IG Metall,”
said Atle Hoie, general secretary of IndustriALL Global Union.
“Freedom of association and right of collective bargaining are red lines, and we will continue to fight back and never give up for these rights at Digel.”
Digel has yet to respond or initiate dialogue at either local or national level. Instead, the conflict has escalated further. Eight more Teksif members, union committee representatives and witnesses in the ongoing court cases, have been dismissed, accused of refusing assigned duties. Teksif claims the dismissals are retaliation for union activism and an attempt to silence key figures in the organizing effort.
In response, Digel workers have announced a 700-kilometre protest march from Izmir to Ankara, on 21 June. Travelling entirely on foot, they plan to raise public awareness about their struggle and bring their demands directly to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. They say they will remain in the capital until their demands are met.
“This entire situation is completely at odds with the values and rules upheld in Europe,”
said Judith Kirton-Darling, general secretary of industriAll Europe.
“We stand with the mistreated workers and are firmly committed to taking all necessary steps to ensure that all Digel workers can fully exercise their fundamental trade union rights.”
Digel’s products are sold online and in over 40 countries worldwide.