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Workers at 15 stores of the iconic Swiss watchmaker Swatch in Türkiye continued their strike action for 14 days as of Sunday, demanding better pay and working conditions, as earlier talks between their union and company management broke down.
The workers at stores directly operated by Swatch Group carried on with the strike, which began on Nov. 10, complaining of long working hours and demanding pay that reflects the rate of inflation in the country.
“What’s the difference between our people and those working in Germany, Switzerland and England? They don’t give us a quarter of what they pay them,” one striking worker said.
About 100 workers have been participating in the strike in stores and the company’s Turkish headquarters since Nov. 10, Koop-Iş labor union chief Eyup Alemdar told Bloomberg last week. The union is seeking a wage increase of around 30%, the introduction of bonus payments and better conditions, including shorter weekly hours, Alemdar said.
Inflation in Türkiye rose nearly 33% year-over-year in October, according to official data.
“The children don’t want a flat or a yacht. They want a wage that’s above inflation. They’ll take the wage that’s above inflation and use it to pay for their children, their schooling, their food and their rent. They don’t even accept that,” Koop Iş Ankara Branch 2 President Soner Berk was quoted as saying on Sunday, referring to the workers.
“The union’s demands are unfortunately unrealistically high and totally exaggerated,” the Swatch Group said ahead of the planned strike action and in response to Bloomberg.
