LUXURY handbag designer Mulberry looked less fashionable yesterday as workers’ rights campaigners picketed the group’s flagship store in London in support of sacked trade unionists.

Members of the Solidarity with People of Turkey (Spot) campaign stood outside the brand’s Bond Street shop in solidarity with 14 workers at Turkish factory SF Leather, who were given the boot after attempting to unionise their workplace.

SF Leather, which produces goods for Mulberry, is said to be in breach of the British company’s Global Sourcing Principles for preventing access to trade union representation.

SPOT spokesman Oktay Sahbaz told the Star he came to central London because “over the past couple of months the working conditions and the pay situation of the leather workers in SF Leather were deteriorating.

“The workers were looking at ways of organising themselves, they were deciding to take trade union membership so that they can have collective bargaining, arguments and discussions with their employees.

“But this was seen as a threat by the bosses of SF Leather so what they decided to do was to stop people taking trade union membership, threatened them with the sack and have basically asked them to cancel their trade union membership.”

Additionally the 14 “leaders” of the movement in the factory were dismissed with immediate effect.

According to Mr Sahbaz, Mulberry was informed time and time again of the situation but replied only that it was “looking into the situation.”

A 70 day leather workers’ strike is currently ongoing at the Turkish factory, which has been surviving “without any social funds, without any proper support apart from their colleagues and their families and their friends,” he added.

Spot campaigners vowed to continue their pickets of Mulberry shops across the country until the situation is resolved.

A statement from the group read: “The demands are clear, the workers are calling for a reinstatement of their jobs and recognition of their trade union membership.

“Mulberry must address this and review its association with SF Leather as a matter of urgency.”

The fashion company failed to respond to requests for comment after several attempts by the Star.