The strike, which broke out with the stalling of fourth term collective labour agreement negotiations between functionaries of İzmir Suburban Rail System (İZBAN), a joint entity of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality and Turkish State Railways, and the Rail Workers Union, is in its second day. At İZBAN, 343 workers, consisting of drivers, advanced technicians, technicians, station operators and booking clerks, are continuing their strike. İZBAN appears to be taking no action to meet the workers’ demands and start operations.

Only a small number of sub-contractor drivers are appearing on infrequent runs on İZBAN, one of the city’s main transport arteries, but problems are being experienced in the course of these runs due to technical staff shortages. Stations are being shuttered outside running times. The strike is affecting the city as a whole. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality is putting on extra buses in the endeavour to resolve the problem, but citizens are struggling to board buses especially at rush hours. Roads are becoming clogged as some citizens set out in their own cars.

CAUSING MISERY FOR BOTH ITS WORKERS AND THE PEOPLE OF İZMIR

For its part, İZBAN management, having closed its ears to the workers’ demands from the first day until today, continues to cause misery for both its own workers and the people of Izmir. Some 400,000 people use İZBAN in a single day. İZBAN functionaries, though, have failed to take action to end the strike by accepting the workers’ demands. It has yet to invite the union to sit at the table. It is as yet uncertain how much longer the strike in the run-up to the local elections will last.

WHAT DO THE WORKERS WANT?

In the six months of negotiations over the fourth term collective labour agreement, an agreement has so far been elusive over 24 clauses of the 63-clause draft that are important for the workers. With Rail Workers Union members granted pay rises of 27% net for the first year and at the rate of inflation for the second, İZBAN management proposed a 22% increase including all social rights. İZBAN management countered the workers’ demand for a 112-day bonus with the offer of a 95-day bonus. No agreement was forthcoming either over their driving and shift allowance demands that also number among the workers’ demands. (İzmir/EVRENSEL)