Historic Victory for UNITED METAL-IS at OMSA Metal: Workers Go Back to Work, First Collective Bargaining Agreement Signed!

KOCAELI/DILOVASI - Birleşik Metal-İş Union has received the result of its honorable and determined struggle at the Swedish-owned OMSA Metal Sanayi İç ve Dış Ticaret A.Ş. workplace in Kocaeli Dilovası. A collective labor agreement was signed between the union and OMSA Metal and an agreement was reached on the reinstatement of all dismissed members. This victory went down in history as a result of the unity and organized struggle of OMSA Metal workers who said "Rights are not given, they are taken!"

70 Days of Resistance and the Dismissal of Anti-Union Managers

As a result of the organizing efforts carried out by the Gebze No. 1 Branch, the majority of workers at OMSA Metal became members of the United Metal-İş Union, and the union received a positive authorization determination from the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in February. However, the employer objected to this authorization determination, and no agreement was reached in the collective bargaining negotiations that started.

While negotiations were ongoing, almost all 57 workers were dismissed without compensation, citing serious pressure and rights violations by the employer. Thereupon, the members of Birleşik Metal-İş started a resistance in front of the factory and displayed an exemplary struggle for 70 days by defending their union rights, which are their most basic constitutional rights.

As a result of this honorable resistance, the Swedish employer had to step back. Factory managers who were hostile to the union and oppressed our members were dismissed.

First Collective Bargaining Agreement Signed, Workers Return

At this point, the factory management sat down with the union again and the first collective bargaining agreement at OMSA Metal was signed today at the union's headquarters.

One of the most important achievements of the signed contract was the agreement that all dismissed members will return to work on October 1, 2025. It was stated that members who do not want to return to work will be paid their compensation.

"Long Live Our Organized Struggle!"

The General Executive Board of the United Metal-İş Union said in a statement that this victory is the work of OMSA Metal workers, members, representatives and executives of the union, sister unions that supported the struggle, democratic mass organizations, political parties, press workers and today's company management who contributed to the creation of the ground for the agreement.

The statement read, "May our collective agreement be beneficial to OMSA Metal workers, our union and the working class of Turkey! Long live the unity of workers! Long live our organized struggle! #WeWon" slogans. This historic victory proved once again the power of the organized struggle of the Turkish working class.