WE SET OUT FOR VICTORY: Enthusiastic General Assembly at Türk Metal Bursa Branch before MESS CIS!

In his historic speech at the Bursa Branch 2nd Ordinary General Assembly, Uysal Altundağ, President of the Turkish Metal Union, shared the details of the 2025-2027 Group Collective Bargaining Agreement process with MESS and gave the message "We will sit at the table to get the best!"

27 September 2025 - Bursa - Turkish Metal, the largest and most powerful union in the Turkish metal industry, held its 2nd Ordinary General Assembly with great enthusiasm and excitement as it enters a critical collective bargaining process. On Saturday, September 27, 2025, the General Assembly turned into a trunk show with the participation of President Uysal Altundağ.

The General Assembly started with the election of the Council Committee. General President Uysal Altundağ was elected as the Chairman of the Council, while Vice President Mesut Erdem and General Secretary Taliphan Kıymaz served as Deputy Chairmen of the Council. This important meeting of the Board was a platform where the roadmap of the upcoming MESS Group Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process was drawn and the organized power of the metal workers was displayed.

Altundağ: "I Came to Be One Heart, One Wrist"

General President Altundağ, in his opening speech as Chairman of the Council, began by emphasizing the determination and faith of the metal workers:

"I have come here today with more enthusiasm, more excitement and more hope than ever. I have come here on the eve of a new journey we will embark on, on the eve of a celebrated struggle, to get strength from you, to find morale, to be one heart, one wrist... There is nothing that Türk Metal cannot accomplish and overcome. We set out to win again, to get the right of our labor and sweat."

Altundağ stated that the glorious history of Türk Metal is full of victories, achievements and successes and expressed his pride in all its members.

Unique Trade Union Democracy: Drafting Process

Dedicating the most important part of his speech to the process of drafting the CBA, the General President argued that the method applied by Türk Metal is an example of unprecedented union democracy in Turkey and even in the world.

This meticulous study, which began in June and lasted for months, was shaped by the views of 140,722 Türk Metal members:

1. Expanded Representative Assembly and Presidents' Council (June): Representatives and branch presidents from all regions were consulted.

2. Branch Representative Assembly Meetings (July 1-8): Vice Presidents held meetings in the regions and listened to the views of each representative.

3. Scientific Survey of 140,722 Members (July 9-11): A transparent survey was conducted with the participation of all members in 196 workplaces affiliated to MESS.

4. Independent Research Company Support (July 14-18): An independent research company conducted a second survey of 10,000 members to validate the study.

5. Final Board of Representatives and Board of Presidents (August): The most up-to-date thoughts were received upon return from leave and the draft was finalized with common sense in the light of all the data.

Altundağ emphasized that the draft represents the hard work and expectations of its members at the highest level, saying, "There is no union in the world, let alone in our country, that operates these processes in this way and works so sensitively."

Demand at the Table: 38.97% Increase for the First Six Months

Reminding the details of the draft CBA that emerged at the end of this democratic process that lasted for months, the President announced that they demanded an average increase of 38.97 percent for the first six months of the contract that will cover the 2025-2027 period.

Stating that negotiations will start on October 13, Altundağ made a clear call to the employers' union MESS:

"The delegation at that table is the tip of the iceberg. We will sit at that table with the support and strength of 140,722 metal workers, swearing to take every last dime. Now it's the turn of our employers... Now it's time to pay for the hard work of the metal workers who broke export records and added profit to your profits. Now is the time to get our rights!"

Altundağ stated that despite the difficult economic conditions, Türk Metal has always overcome difficulties and that he trusts in the solidarity power of the members in this process.

Two Critical Areas for the Future: Women and Youth

The General President announced that they will pay special attention to two main issues in the new period: women members and young workers. Stating that they will make the women's branches more active and ensure that they are more visible in the union process, Altundağ said that they will prepare young people for the union struggle with events such as the Young Workers Grand Assembly and raise a new, well-equipped generation through the Turk Metal Academy.

After the speech, Human Resources managers from leading companies in the sector such as Formfleks, Aptiv, TKG Automotive and Yesilova Holding took the floor with the hope that the general assembly would be successful.

Name Renewing Confidence in Management: Selda Tekman

In the elections with a single list, Selda Tekman was elected as the Branch President and renewed her confidence. The new Board of Directors consists of the following names:

• Branch President: Selda Tekman

• Branch Secretary: Onur Öztürk

• Branch Financial Secretary: Şaban Türk

• Branch Organization Secretary: Bahadırhan Zeytun

• Branch Education Secretary: Atilla Canbaz

The General Assembly attracted great interest with the participation of TÜRK-İŞ Bursa Representative Ruhi Biçer, MESS Bursa Representative Av. Kadir Günay, academics, civil society and political party representatives and many union members.