As Turkey's largest automotive strike crippled the sector in May, Fiat and Koç Holding's joint venture Tofaş laid off 142 workers on Wednesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, the number of fired workers was reported as 80, which included workers who had a prominent role in the strike that took place in May.
It was also reported that workers at several spare parts factories are also on the brink of a strike, as promises made during the earlier strike have yet to be met. A statement from the Metal Workers Union said the monthly wage increase proposed by the Turkish Employers' Association of Metal Industries (MESS) only amounts to TL 100 ($37) and called for a general strike on Friday.
Dismissals at Tofaş may also fuel a larger strike.
On May 15, workers at the Renault, Tofaş and Ford Otosan plants – along with many other spare part factories located in northwestern Bursa and Sakarya provinces – went on strike, which lasted for more than a week. The main causes of the strike were the wage differences among workers employed in the same sector and the incompetence of a trade union to represent the workers in collective bargaining negotiations.
