Workers protest Swatch and Jack & Jones in Turkey

UNI Global Union’s Turkish affiliate, Koop-Is, held two powerful demonstrations in Istanbul on 27 November to demand Swatch and Jack & Jones withdraw their objections to collective bargaining certificates and begin negotiations for collective agreements.

Swatch protest at Özdilek Shopping Centre

Workers first demonstrated outside Özdilek Shopping Centre, where Swatch operates a store. The Swiss watchmaker, which has 16 stores and 170 employees in Turkey, has seen more than 40 per cent of its workforce join Koop-Is, surpassing the legal threshold in Türkiye for initiating collective bargaining. Despite meeting the legal requirements, Swatch’s local management filed a court objection seven months ago, delaying the bargaining process for potentially up to five years, pending court decisions and appeals.

During the protest, Murat Türkekul, a member of the Koop-Is Executive Committee, urged Swatch to act in good faith:

“We call on Swatch to withdraw its objection and negotiate with us. It is the first of many actions that will take in front of Swatch stores across Türkiye until the company will sit around the table with us. The clock is ticking for Swatch, it is time to negotiate a collective agreement with us!”

Solidarity messages from global trade union allies underscored the importance of the action.

Mathias Bolton, UNI Head of Commerce, called out Swatch Turkey’s obstruction:

“It is totally unacceptable that Swatch Turkey management challenged the collective bargaining certificate and blocked the entire bargaining process without a legal, valid or justified reason. We call on Swatch global management to immediately intervene and take all necessary measures to remove obstacles to collective bargaining in Turkey. Swatch, it is time to stop blocking collective bargaining. It is time to start negotiating a collective agreement!”

Adding to the calls for accountability, UNI’s Swiss affiliate, UNIA, expressed firm support for the workers and a willingness to escalate the issue internationally:

“We express our solidarity with the action taken by Koop-Is. These anti-union practices are unworthy of a responsible company. If Swatch does not negotiate with the union, we will denounce this situation in Switzerland to hold the group’s management to account. Swatch workers can always be sure of our support.”

Jack & Jones protest in Istanbul

The second demonstration targeted the Istanbul headquarters of Jack & Jones, a subsidiary of Danish Bestseller Group. Jack & Jones operates 24 stores and employs 490 retail workers in Turkey. Like Swatch, Jack & Jones workers surpassed the 40 per cent threshold for union organization, but the company filed a court objection three months ago, stalling collective bargaining efforts.

Speaking at the demonstration, Koop-Is’ Murat Türkekul reaffirmed the union’s commitment:

“It is our first but not the last action. We will keep fighting until the objection is withdrawn, right to collective bargaining is respected and the first collective agreement for Jack and Jones workers is concluded.”

Mathias Bolton, UNI Head of Commerce, called on Jack & Jones and its parent company to respect workers’ rights:

“We join our affiliate Koop-Is Union in calling Jack & Jones Turkey management to withdraw its objection and negotiate a collective agreement with the union. We also call on ‘Bestseller,’ the global parent company of Jack & Jones, to immediately intervene. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with Jack & Jones workers and Koop-Is Union until they secure the first collective agreement.”