Nicosia, Cyprus. Workers at Ektam, the north’s producer of Pepsi and other soft drinks, on Friday announced their strike is now indefinite after Ektam and PepsiCo’s Turkish subsidiary refused to meet trade union members. The dispute centres on workers’ right to unionise and alleged threats of dismissals.
Indefinite strike announcement
The workers’ trade union Emek-Is said the strike became indefinite “as of today” after what it described as rejected attempts at negotiation due to “the employer’s avoidance of dialogue.” Emek-Is said it remained committed to “protecting the rights of workers.”
Emek-Is also said that being a member of a union is a constitutional right.
International union support
The World federation of trade unions said on Friday that it expressed “full and unconditional solidarity” with the workers and “their just demands.”
Dispute over meeting conditions
The Cyprus Mail had been informed on Thursday that representatives of PepsiCo and Ektam had refused to enter a meeting with the Turkish Cypriot authorities and trade union representatives.
A representative of trade union Dev-Is, which Emek-Is is affiliated with, said representatives of the two companies wanted to meet directly with the striking workers without trade union presence.
Unionisation claims and alleged threats
Workers began strike action on Friday last week, claiming the company had attempted to deprive them of their right to unionise. The company then threatened to fire 39 workers in response, according to the report.
The workers had attempted to join a union affiliated with Dev-Is, and a union spokesperson had earlier said the company was “ignoring the laws” relating to organised labour in the north. The spokesperson said management had “threatened everyone and attempted to force them to sign resignation letters.”
According to the spokesperson, the workers refused, after which management threatened to close the factory and lay off all workers.
How do you think the dispute should be resolved between the company and the unions?