Glass industry dispute settlement lifts threat to launch of new Toyota

According to Reuters, the agreement between Sisecam and glass workers' union Kristal-Is, announced in a written statement, calmed worries about the negative impact of industrial action on the important automotive sector.The head of Toyota's Turkish arm told Reuters in an interview last week the threatened strike could halt all production of Toyota's new Corolla Verso, which is built only in Turkey.Sise Cam, which is controlled major bank Is Bankasi, supplies 90% of glass components for Turkey's buoyant motor industry, the report noted.Reuters said that, under the accord, wage increases will amount to a retrospective 14% for the first half of 2003 and 10% for the second half – for 2004, wage rises were agreed at 7% in the first half and 5% in the second half and the accord covers more than 5,000 workers at 13 factories.The news agency noted that Kristal-Is had previously launched a court appeal against a Turkish government ban on a strike to demand more pay and the reinstatement of dismissed colleagues.Workers reportedly began strikes in October and late January, but each time the government slapped a 60-day ban on the action.Reuters said the Corolla Verso, designed for west European tastes, went into production recently at Toyota's export-oriented Adapazari plant, 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Istanbul, and company officials reportedly said exports would begin in late March or April.Leading Turkish glassmaker Sisecam and a sector union have reached a wage deal averting a strike by glass workers and delays to the launch of a new Toyota car model.

According to Reuters, the agreement between Sisecam and glass workers' union Kristal-Is, announced in a written statement, calmed worries about the negative impact of industrial action on the important automotive sector.

The head of Toyota's Turkish arm told Reuters in an interview last week the threatened strike could halt all production of Toyota's new Corolla Verso, which is built only in Turkey.

Sise Cam, which is controlled major bank Is Bankasi, supplies 90% of glass components for Turkey's buoyant motor industry, the report noted.

Reuters said that, under the accord, wage increases will amount to a retrospective 14% for the first half of 2003 and 10% for the second half – for 2004, wage rises were agreed at 7% in the first half and 5% in the second half and the accord covers more than 5,000 workers at 13 factories.

The news agency noted that Kristal-Is had previously launched a court appeal against a Turkish government ban on a strike to demand more pay and the reinstatement of dismissed colleagues.

Workers reportedly began strikes in October and late January, but each time the government slapped a 60-day ban on the action.

Reuters said the Corolla Verso, designed for west European tastes, went into production recently at Toyota's export-oriented Adapazari plant, 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Istanbul, and company officials reportedly said exports would begin in late March or April.