Act Now
We are calling on supporters to re-contact DESA management and the buyers at the factory to express your disappointment in their failure to uphold the rights of DESA workers.
This decison follows the failure of both DESA management and the European buyers to properly implement or support a protocol signed by DESA and the Deri Is union in August 2009. The protocol should have been the first step in a process through which workers could be made aware of their rights and be reassured that the exercise of their rights would not lead to dismissals or reprisals. For such a change to be implemented at the factory we would have needed to see a distinct change of direction by Desa and proactive support from the brands.
The CCC has continued to monitor the situation at the DESA factory through regular updates from Deri Is. A Clean Clothes Campaign delegation visited Turkey in December 2009, during which they met around 35 Desa workers together with Deri Is representatives.
- The interviews conducted revealed that the protocol had been breached in in the following ways:
- Workers identified by Deri Is as priorities for reinstatement are still without work.
- The Right to Organise' guarantee as properly drafted from ITGLWF has not been distributed to the workers
- Workers are facing again episodes of repression and harassment clearly intended to avoid their unionisation
- Desa management actively interferes to try to prevent workers from joining the union.
In recent months, workers report that harassment by supervisors of union members is increasing. At least one worker has filed a legal suit against a supervisor charging him with this offence. Of particular concern is the decision of DESA to fire two union members, based on allegations disputed by the workers.
In April 2010 Labour Behind the Label, along with other Clean Clothes Campaigns re-contacted all the buyers and informed them about the ongoing violations of the August 09 agreement. We urged them to work with DESA to end to the harrassment of workers and to fully implement with the protocol in cooperation with Deri Is. [link to letter sent]
Only small number of buyers responded, all stating that they visited the factory and did not see any harassment taking place and were confident there was no malpractice at the factory. None of the buyers spoke to or contacted the union or union members. None of them responded at all to our detailed requests for concrete action.
See attachment below for a copy of letter sent to brands.
Trade union harassment continues at Prada supplier
Labour Behind the Label is sad to announce the reopening of the campaign to demand justice for workers at the DESA leather factory in Duzce, Turkey.
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We are calling on supporters to contact DESA management and the buyers at the factory to express your disappointment in their failure to uphold the rights of DESA workers and to urge them to ensure that the protocol is properly implemented and to take steps to proactively support freedom of association at the factory.
This decison follows the failure of both DESA management and the European buyers to properly implement or support a protocol signed by DESA and the Deri Is union in August 2009. The protocol should have been the first step in a process through which workers could be made aware of their rights and be reassured that the exercise of their rights would not lead to dismissals or reprisals. For such a change to be implemented we would have needed to see a distinct change of direction by Desa and proactive support from the brands.
The CCC has continued to monitor the situation at the DESA factory through regular updates from Deri Is. A Clean Clothes Campaign delegation visited Turkey in December 2009, during which they met around 35 Desa workers together with Deri Is representatives.
The interviews conducted revealed that the protocol had been breached in in the following ways:
-
Workers identified by Deri Is have not been reinstated
-
The Right to Organise' guarantee as properly drafted from ITGLWF has not been distributed to the workers
-
Workers are facing again episodes of repression and harassment clearly intended to avoid their unionisation
-
Desa management actively interferes to try to prevent workers from joining the union.
In recent months workers also report that harassment by supervisors of union members is increasing. At least one worker has filed a legal suit against a supervisor charging him with this offence. Of particular concern is the decision of DESA to fire two union members, both on the ground of allegations disputed by the workers.
In April 2010 Labour Behind the Label, along with other Clean Clothes Campaigns contacted In the light of this, in April 2010 the CCC re-contacted all the buyers and informed them about the ongoing violations of the agreement. We urged them to work with DESA to end to the harrassment of workers and to fully implement with the protocol in cooperation with Deri Is. [link to letter sent]
Only small number of buyers responded, all stating that they visited the factory and did not see any harassment taking place and were confident there was no malpractice at the factory. None of the buyers spoke to or contacted the union or union members. None of them responded at all to our detailed requests for concrete action.
