Major strike hits Turkey auto industry

The number of people on strike in Turkey rose to 20,000 on Thursday as the country's biggest labor action in the auto industry spread to metal workers.

In the northwestern province of Bursa, more than 15,000 people have walked out, including those at Renault, Fiat and several other car parts manufacturers, said Ali Ekinci, head of the United Metal Workers Union's Bursa branch.

The strike will continue until the workers' demands are met by the employers, Ekinci said.

The strikers demand higher wages and better working conditions, such as shorter working hours.

Ekinci criticized what he described as the government's silence and inaction as the country prepares for a general election scheduled for June 7th.

The strike has reportedly resulted in a daily loss of 70 million U.S. dollars to the country's industry.

Science, Industry and Technology Minister Fikri Isik urged the workers to end their protests to avoid further damage.

The latest wave of strike started on May 14th at Turkey's two automotive giants Oyak Renault and Tofas, the Turkish distributor of Fiat, in Bursa.

It soon spread to regional car parts manufacturers, and many metal workers also put down their tools.

Employees in Ford Otosan, a joint venture, were the latest to join Renault and Fiat workers in the action.

Ford had to halt its production on Wednesday at its facilities in the province of Kocaeli.

Output in Oyak and Tofas accounts for over 40 percent of Turkey's annual vehicle production.

Turkey produced 1.2 million cars in 2014, four-fifths of which were exported to European countries. Endit