Collective labor agreement negotiations between Metro Istanbul, which forms the backbone of Istanbul's rail system transportation, and the Demiryol-İş Union, which represents railway workers, have remained fruitless despite all efforts. As the parties could not reach an agreement during the legal mediation process, the metro workers decided to strike.
The strike decision was announced to the public by a large number of workers who gathered in front of the Metro Istanbul General Directorate in Esenler. The workers read the strike decision and then hung it on the window of the general directorate building.
Union President Aktaş: “The Strike Process Has Officially Started”
Demiryol-İş Istanbul Branch President Resul Aktaş explained the reasons for the strike in detail. Aktaş said, “The 14th Term Collective Labor Agreement Negotiations, which we started by obtaining a certificate of authorization on November 18, have been left without results after the 60-day legal period and the 20-day mediation process ended. Since no agreement could be reached, the mediator dispute report reached our Demiryol-İş Union Headquarters and our strike process has officially started in accordance with Law No. 6356.”
Resul Aktaş also stated that detailed information on when and at what time the strike will be implemented will be announced by the union in the coming days. This means that serious disruptions may occur in Istanbul's public transportation in the coming days. Millions of Istanbulites are closely following the effects of a possible strike in metro transportation.
