Collective Bargaining Stalemate at Smart Solar Factory: United Metal-Is to Strike on October 22nd.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, which have been going on for months at the Smart Solar factory, where the Gebze No. 1 Branch of the United Metal-İş Union is organized, have entered a crisis due to the failure to reach an agreement between the union and the employer. Following the deadlock at the CBA table, the factory workers announced the date of the strike with applause and announced their decision to go on strike on October 22, 2025. If no agreement is reached by the deadline, metal workers will start a de facto struggle at a key factory in the solar energy sector.

Stalemate in CBA Negotiations: Workers' Demands Not Met

Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations at the Smart Solar factory, which operates in the field of solar panel production, have reached a deadlock after the employer's proposals on key issues such as wages, social rights and job security fell short of meeting workers' expectations. After the mediation process failed to yield results, the union completed the legal processes and reached the stage of implementing the strike decision.

Members of the Gebze Branch No. 1, which is organized in the factory, gathered in front of the factory today with branch executives and showed their determination to struggle once again. Following the press release, the strike implementation date was officially announced.

Strike Implementation Date Posted on Factory Gate

United Metal-İş workers hung a sign on the factory gate, accompanied by applause and enthusiastic slogans, setting the date when they will start the implementation of the strike decision. The announced date was finalized as 22 October 2025.

The workers repeatedly chanted the slogan "We are Workers, We are Right, We will Win!", demonstrating their determination to have their union demands accepted. In a statement, union leaders said the employer's latest offer fell far short of economic conditions and was far from providing the living standards its members deserved.

Preparing for a Strike with Sectoral Impact

Smart Solar factory has an important place in the production of renewable energy and solar panels, which has become one of Turkey's priority sectors in recent years. Therefore, a possible strike at the factory is expected to have sectoral consequences beyond the struggle for workers' personal rights.

Birleşik Metal-İş Union reiterated its call to sit down with the employer and reach an agreement by October 22. If no agreement is reached by then, Smart Solar workers will use their legal rights to hang a strike banner and stop production.