Workers at Agrobay in Turkey have been protesting for months against alleged illegal firings and inhumane working conditions. Their union has said German supermarket chain Lidl is partly to blame.
For more than five months, workers at the Agrobay agricultural company in Izmir, western Turkey, have been staging street protests. A lot of people demonstrate against inhumane working conditions, such as being bullied and unable to use the restroom or take unpaid leave. Some say they were unfairly dismissed without receiving any compensation.
The business is directly connected to Germany because it is one of Lidl’s main suppliers. With almost 12,000 stores in 30 countries, Lidl is the largest discount grocery store in the world. Its sales last year were estimated to have been around €115 billion ($125 billion).
Agrobay, which has been in business since 2002, supplies most of the tomatoes bought in German stores. It has an annual cultivation capacity of 20,000 tons, making it one of Turkeys largest agricultural producers.
The company’s website states that its main export destinations are Germany, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom for tomatoes and chili peppers.
Workers have also staged protests in front of the British, German, and Russian consulates in recent months; in these cases, police are alleged to have used excessive force to disperse the demonstrators. Additionally, Agrobay sued the laborers who demonstrated in front of the German consulate, alleging that their actions had damaged trade relations with Germany. “.
Lidl, the German discount supermarket chain, has come under fire for its alleged involvement in labor rights violations at one of its major suppliers in Turkey Agrobay, a prominent agricultural firm based in Izmir, has been accused of mistreating its unionized staff, sparking protests and raising concerns about the company’s ethical practices
Workers’ Plight: Unfair Dismissals and Harsh Conditions
For months, Agrobay workers have been protesting against unfair dismissals, inhumane working conditions, and alleged breaches of labor laws. The company, which supplies tomatoes and other agricultural products to Lidl and other international retailers, has been accused of:
- Unlawful firings: Agrobay reportedly dismissed 37 workers, including 34 women, shortly after they formed a union. These firings are suspected to be retaliatory and in violation of Turkish labor laws.
- Inhumane working conditions: Workers claim they were denied basic rights, such as access to toilets, and subjected to verbal abuse and insults from their superiors. Women were allegedly forced to perform tasks traditionally assigned to men, highlighting gender discrimination within the company.
- Unfair dismissal procedures: Agrobay reportedly used a loophole in Turkish law to dismiss workers under the pretext of “immoral acts,” preventing them from receiving compensation and unemployment benefits. This has made it difficult for them to find new jobs.
Lidl’s Role and the Supply Chain Law
Lidl, as a major customer of Agrobay, has been implicated in the controversy Union leaders argue that the German supermarket chain has a responsibility to ensure ethical practices throughout its supply chain, including protecting the rights of workers in its supplier companies.
A new German law called the Supply Chain Law went into effect in January 2023 and mandates that businesses of a specific size incorporate human rights and environmental regulations into their supply chains. This law might make Lidl answerable for the purported labor infractions at Agrobay.
Lidl’s Response and Ongoing Investigations
Lidl has acknowledged the allegations and stated that it takes human rights violations seriously. The company is currently conducting an internal investigation into the matter and has pledged to take action if any wrongdoing is found.
However, Lidl’s response has been met with skepticism by union leaders and human rights groups. They argue that the company should take more concrete steps to address the issues at Agrobay, such as suspending its business relationship with the supplier until the workers’ rights are respected.
The Future of Agrobay Workers and Lidl’s Ethical Responsibility
The situation at Agrobay highlights the complex challenges of ensuring ethical practices in global supply chains. While Lidl has taken some steps to address the allegations, it remains to be seen whether the company will take decisive action to protect the rights of its supplier’s workers.
The outcome of Lidl’s investigation and the ongoing negotiations between Agrobay and the union will determine the fate of the dismissed workers and potentially set a precedent for how companies like Lidl handle labor rights issues in their global supply chains.
The efficacy of the German Supply Chain Law and its capacity to hold businesses accountable for unethical behavior in their supplier networks are further issues raised by this circumstance. There will be increasing pressure to ensure ethical and sustainable supply chains as more businesses come under investigation for their labor practices.
Women were seen as ‘cheap labor’
One woman who was on her period was even denied a break, Yavuz said. Female workers were often ordered to carry out tasks that were intended for men.
“Until the evening we shoveled sand and lifted 80-meter long steel rods. These mens tasks were also on the shoulders of us women. We had to do all this because the company saw women as cheap labor. These tasks cost a lot more when men do them. But the company thought: We have women who work for minimum wage. They can do these jobs. “.
Workers who are female at Agropays claim they were asked to do low-paying tasks meant for men, who are paid more: Anka
Workers refused toilet breaks
Agrobay is certified by Eurepgap, a globally respected quality assurance and certification system for agriculture. But for a number of months, Turkish media outlets have been emphasizing the company’s transgressions of those standards, quoting statements from former workers.
Two office employees and the remaining 37 manual laborers were among the 39 employees that were let go in two days in August of last year. Thirty-four of them were women. Shortly before their firing, they organized themselves into Tarim-Sen, an agricultural union.
Former Agropay employee Ayten Yavuz told DW that she was fired three days after joining the union on August 19. In Turkey, it is illegal to be fired because of trade union activities.
“I worked in the plant care department, as did my other colleagues who were laid off,” Yavuz recalled. “The working conditions were very bad. We werent even allowed to go to the toilet. We wanted to go because it was a long way from the greenhouse to the restrooms, which annoyed the bosses. “.
Workers were constantly insulted by their superiors, she said:
“The chief engineer kept telling us, Even my five-year-old son is smarter than you. Are you all stupid? We had to endure such insults. “.