SAG Hidrolik, the Turkish subsidiary of the Italian-owned SAG Group, manufactures hydraulic hose and pipe systems for the automotive, agricultural machinery, heavy vehicle and railway sectors. Established in 2011, the Hendek plant employs 114 workers and plays a strategic role in SAG Group’s global supply network.

In August 2025, workers at the factory exercised their constitutional right to organize and joined Birleşik Metal-İş. On 4 August, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security certified that the union had secured the majority and is therefore the official bargaining agent.

Instead of accepting this lawful decision, the company retaliated. On 11 August, union member Onur Karaman was dismissed without cause, followed by the unlawful dismissal of Ceylan Civelek on 5 September, just before her wedding. Managers threatened workers with factory closure if they did not resign from the union, while imposing new restrictions on communication and movement inside the workplace.

Birleşik Metal-İş has filed a criminal complaint with the Hendek Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, documenting these violations of trade union rights and identifying those responsible for pressuring workers to resign. The union has also reached out internationally, with support from Italian union FIOM, which has already opened dialogue with SAG Group management in Italy.

The actions of SAG Hidrolik amount to a serious breach of the Constitution of the Republic of Türkiye, Law No. 6356 on Trade Unions and Collective Labour Agreements and binding ILO Conventions ratified by Türkiye. Birleşik Metal-İş is demanding the immediate reinstatement of dismissed workers, recognition of the union as the bargaining agent, the start of collective bargaining negotiations, and an end to all anti-union practices.

IndustriALL Global Union has pledged its full solidarity with Birleşik Metal-İş and the workers at SAG Hidrolik. Together with affiliates and allies, IndustriALL is raising the issue internationally, demanding that SAG Group respect the democratic choice of its workers in Türkiye.

Özkan Atar, President of the United Metalworkers’ Union said:

“It is unacceptable that SAG Hidrolik, while recognizing the union in Italy, violates workers’ rights at its factory in Türkiye. Women workers face pressure for exercising their right to unionize and two leaders were unfairly dismissed. Our resistance has continued for over a month and with the solidarity of IndustriALL Global Union and industriAll European Union as well as the international trade union movement, we will fight until our members are reinstated and union rights fully recognised.”

IndustriALL Assistant General secretary Kemal Özkan said:

"The dismissals, intimidation and threats at SAG Hidrolik are a direct attack on workers’ fundamental rights. Our members have chosen their union freely and lawfully and this decision must be respected. We will continue this struggle until every dismissed worker is reinstated and collective bargaining begins."

IndustriAll Europe General Secretary Judith Kirton-Darling said:

”As a European group, SAG should uphold European values for all its operations, including respect for trade union rights and social dialogue. Penalising workers for simply joining a union, is shameful and unacceptable. SAG is applying double standards by treating its Turkish workforce differently and denying their fundamental rights. IndustriAll Europe stands unequivocally with Birleşik Metal-İş and demands that SAG Hidrolik immediately reinstates the dismissed workers, recognises the union and begins genuine collective bargaining.“

The fight at SAG Hidrolik has become a critical test case for trade union rights in Türkiye, with Birleşik Metal-İş leading the struggle on the ground and IndustriALL ensuring that the company and authorities face international pressure to uphold workers’ constitutional and international rights.