ICEM World Conference for the Rubber Industries
6-7 April 2006
Istanbul, Turkey

Whereas while the ICEM conducts the World Conference for Rubber Industries in Istanbul, our brothers and sisters of Lastik-Iş are engaged in collective bargaining negotiations with the transnational tire companies Goodyear, Bridgestone and Pirelli.

Whereas the companies are exerting tremendous pressure on the workers, demanding concessions in working conditions, while stating publicly that labor costs are so high that they may quit production in Turkey.

Whereas the companies are exerting pressure on the government to ban possible strikes, as they have done four times in ten years, even though the codes of Turkey and the ILO have issued decrees declaring the bans unlawful.

Let it be resolved that the delegates to the ICEM World Conference for the Rubber Industries declare their total support for our brothers and sisters of Lastik-Iş and call upon Goodyear, Bridgestone and Pirelli to exert common sense and bargain in good faith.

Furthermore, let it be resolved that our conference calls upon the government of Turkey to uphold the laws of the country and the ILO regulations that protect the rights guaranteed to our Union brothers and sisters of Lastik-Iş.