Over recent weeks 18 workers have won their cases at the supreme court, which confirmed that the lower court had been correct to find DESA guilty of illegally dismissing workers due to organising actvities. However this does not mean automatic justice for DESA workers.
Turkish law, which does not meet the requirements of ILO conventions on freedom of association, gives the company the option to compensate workers if it does not wish to reinstate them. Although the compensation costs will be high, it is likely that DESA will choose to pay out rather than allow union organisers to return to the factory. The workers do not want compensation. They want to be allowed to return to the jobs that were illegally taken from them. This is particularly pressing given the current economic crisis, which has seen a drastic reduction in employment in the Turkish garment industry.
DESA workers have been fighting for justice for over a year. They have followed every legal process open to them, have responded to every request for information made by campaigners, unions and brands and have proved willing to engage in meetings and dialogue whenever the opportunity has been provided. There is no excuse for more delays.
May 2009: DESA Workers Win Case at Supreme Court
Almost a year to the day since DESA workers began their struggle for union recognition, the Supreme Court in Turkey has confirmed that 18 of the workers sacked by the Turkish leather factory had been illegally dismissed as a result of union organising.The Supreme Court rulings represent a significant victory for the DESA workers, including worker-organiser Emine Arslan.
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