'Strike Decision' Statement by SAMULAŞ

SAMULAŞ General Manager Enver Sedat Tamgacı said that the 47 percent offer was not evaluated at the end of the two years they submitted to the union and said, “Despite all the negativities experienced during the pandemic period, union representatives decided to strike as the union management without voting on the last day of the mediation process. he said.

SAMULAŞ General Manager Enver Sedat Tamgacı made a statement after the strike decision taken by the Demiryol İş Union. Indicating that they started collective bargaining negotiations with the union, which is organized within SAMULAŞ due to the bans during the pandemic period, on 11 August 2020, Tamgacı said, “In the meetings between the union representatives and SAMULAŞ management, the articles on social rights, wage increases and disciplinary penalties were discussed. In total, the union has submitted a proposal for an increase of 2020 percent for the period 2022-400. Afterwards, the union officials did not evaluate SAMULAŞ's proposal and ended the negotiations with the dispute and left the table and started the mediation process. No agreement was reached during the mediation process ”.

Enver Sedat Tamgacı, who stated that Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Mustafa Demir has an opinion that the wage increase of all employees should not remain below the increase in inflation, said:

“Despite the fact that the average annual inflation increases were around 12-13 percent, the wage increase was offered around 6 percent together with the social rights in the first 15 months, new social rights that were not in the previous collective bargaining agreements were added, and with the increases in other existing social rights, a total of two SAMULAŞ made an offer with a 47 percent increase at the end of the year. Metropolitan Mayor Mustafa Demir stated that the wage increase of all employees is not necessarily below the increase in inflation, so the rate of increase in raise and social rights should be determined accordingly. Due to the economic contraction, which is another negative effect of the Kovid-19 pandemic, which threatens the whole world in terms of health, it had to apply to our company and benefit from the ongoing 'Short Work Allowance' issued by our state for companies adversely affected by the pandemic. While all other private sector companies had to shrink in this process, SAMULAŞ recruited additional personnel in order not to disrupt the transportation services of our city and to maintain its services by providing health measures during the pandemic process. Despite all the negativities experienced during the pandemic period, the union representatives decided to strike as the union management, without voting the personnel on the last day of the mediation process, despite the improvement of the conditions of the employees and improvements in the economic conditions. The union told its members that if there is a strike vote and there is no decision to strike, the high arbitrator will be called and they will not be able to receive what the employer has already given.