DHL is the world's largest courier company and one of the largest employers, with well over 470,000 workers. 

It's owned by Deutsche Post, the privatized former German postal service.  

As you can imagine, the company in Germany recognizes trade unions and bargains with them.  

Many would consider them to be a good employer and DHL is very proud of its "corporate responsibility" record.  

On their website, they say "we promote a corporate culture based on dialogue."

But not in Turkey.

There, members of the transport workers union Tumtis tried to organize DHL workers -- but the company has sacked 24 of them.  

Those workers are now standing outside the company warehouses, resisting the unfair dismissals, demanding their right to join and form trade unions.

Local DHL managers have told other employees that unless they quit the union, they will lose their jobs.

The International Transport Workers Federation, representing over 4.5 million members in 153 countries has called for world-wide solidarity with the DHL workers in Turkey.

They've launched an online campaign on LabourStart to call on DHL to engage in exactly the kind of dialogue they claim is part of their corporate culture.

It's important to tell companies like DHL that it's not enough to treat workers with respect in countries that already have powerful unions.  

The right to join and form unions is universal -- and DHL must respect it even in Turkey.

Those workers standing outside the warehouses of DHL need our support today.  

It will take you only a minute to send off your message - please do so now.

And please help us mobilize thousands of others - forward on this message to your friends, family, co-workers and your fellow union members.