UNI Global Union affiliate Koop-Is has won the right to begin collective bargaining on behalf of Swatch retail workers in Türkiye following a decision by the labour court in the country. This significant victory follows months of organizing, legal proceedings and international support from UNI and Swiss union UNIA.
Swiss watch manufacturer, Swatch, operates 16 retail stores and employs around 170 people in Türkiye. Koop-Is successfully organized more than 40 per cent of the company’s retail workforce – surpassing the legal threshold to apply for collective bargaining certification – and in April 2024, the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security confirmed Koop-Is as the official bargaining agent.
However, instead of moving forward with negotiations, Swatch Turkey’s management filed a lawsuit to block the certification, despite lacking valid legal grounds. This legal maneuver temporarily suspended the collective bargaining process.
International solidarity played a key role in securing victory for Swatch retail workers. Pictured here at a demonstration in Istanbul on 27 November 2024. In response, Koop-Is turned to UNI Global Union and UNIA for support. UNI wrote to Swatch’s global management in Switzerland urging them to intervene and end the legal obstruction. UNIA also expressed solidarity and pledged to raise the issue with the company’s international leadership.
Koop-Is continued to escalate pressure, organizing large-scale protests in Istanbul in November last year. Demonstrators called on Swatch to drop the lawsuit and begin negotiations. Messages of solidarity from UNI and UNIA were shared at the events.
Their persistence paid off. In March 2025, the Labour Court upheld the Ministry’s decision, affirming Koop-Is as the legitimate bargaining agent. Swatch had the option to appeal, potentially delaying the process by years – but chose not to, effectively clearing the path to negotiations. Koop-Is has now submitted its draft collective agreement and demands to Swatch management, with the first round of negotiations set for 23 May 2025.
“We would like to thank UNI and UNIA for their support and solidarity that helped us remove the obstacles to collective bargaining,” said Eyüp Alemdar, President of Koop-Is . “Now it is time to negotiate the long-awaited first-ever collective agreement for Swatch retail workers in Turkey. We will do whatever it takes to conclude a collective agreement that will improve working conditions.”
Mathias Bolton, Head of UNI Commerce, added: “This is a great example of what can be achieved when workers stand strong and have the backing of international solidarity. We congratulate Koop-Is for their determination and are proud to support Swatch workers in their fight for fair conditions, decent pay and a voice on the job.”