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Construction workers at the İstanbul Finance Center rioted at the dining hall after finding insects in their food yesterday (January 19).
The incident happened at the construction site of Ziraat Bank Towers during lunchtime, according to a tweet by the Construction and Structure Workers' Union (İYİ-SEN).
Also lashing out against the bad working conditions, the workers said, "We have shown a reaction."
A video released by the union shows workers flipping over tables and throwing away chairs while shouting in protest of the company.
İstanbul Finans Merkezi inşaatında çalışan işçiler, öğle yemeğinde hamam böceği çıkmasını yemekhanede protesto etti. Uluslararası finans merkezi olarak pazarlanan finans merkezi projesi salgın döneminde işçilere köleliği dayatarak yükseliyor.
— İYİ-SEN (@insaatiscilerii) January 19, 2021
İnşaat işçisi köle değildir! pic.twitter.com/vF6Z59zAZW
"We were resting outside after having lunch. We heard shouting. When we went to the scene of the incident, they told us there was a giant cockroach in the food," said a worker from the union's Council of Worker Representatives. "Then we showed a reaction. We went to the dining hall. We protested."
"We flipped over chairs, tables. Everybody was shouting, 'This is how justice will be from now on.' We shouted, 'What are you making workers eat?' Dining hall workers ran away. Then the workers dispersed. Contractors came and said, 'We will handle this by talking'.
"We dispersed after a while. The security firm here is the Kalyon American company. There are rumors that those who caused and were involved in the incidents will be fired and sued. I was also involved in the incidents. I hope something will happen but I know that it is very difficult for us."
The project in the Ümraniye district on İstanbul's Asian side is carried out by Kalyon Construction, one of the five companies that have undertaken large-scale construction and public infrastructure over the past decade.
The five companies, which are dubbed as "the gang of five" by opposition parties, have faced criticism because of the guaranteed payments they receive as part of public-private partnership projects and extensive tax waivers they benefit from.
In May, one worker lost his life after a fire broke out at the same construction site. (HA/VK)
