Strike at Sumitomo Rubber tire plant in Turkey

Cank?r?, Turkey – An ongoing strike at the Sumitomo Rubber Industries tire plant has entered a second week in a dispute over ‘wages, social rights and administrative items.’

Negotiations covering 2024 and 2025 started at the beginning of the year and failed to reach an agreement by 28 May, announced trade union Petrol-Is.

An offer by the employer was “far from compensating the losses of our members,” said the trade union in a statement 29 May.

“The economic conditions in our country and inflation conditions that [are impacting]workers are obvious,” said Petrol-Is.

Union members, it added, “are right in their demands against the austerity policies.”

According to a union update issued 6 June, the strikes were still ongoing at the site, which employs over 2,400 people.

Operational since 2015, the facility manufactures 3,100 tonnes per month of passenger car tires, including racing tires.