'We’ve Gone On Strike As Employer Didn’t Change Stance'

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130 workers, who are members of the United Metal Labor Union, of Cem Bialetti Ev ve Mutfak Eşyaları San. Tic. A.Ş., which operates in Kocaeli province, went on strike yesterday (October 17). The workers couldn’t have come to an agreement on 12-article collective labor agreement negotiations they held with the employer and went on strike.

There were subjects such as rise in salary, Eid holiday, leave, social rights like fuel expense as well as overtime among the articles on which couldn’t be agreed.

President of the United Metal Labor, which is embodied within Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey, Adnan Serdaroğlu and Kocaeli Branch Chair Telat Çelik hung the strike banner on the factory’s door on the first day of the strike.

Çelik: There is always war at workers’ homes

In his speech, Telat Çelik said, “They told there is State of Emergency (OHAL), you cannot go on strike. That year is this year. There is always a war at workers’ homes. What can OHAL do to us? Now, there is no employer here but workers are here. If you want to see the other side of this union, we hung the banner here. We demanded 18% wage increase for the first six months but the employer offered only 3%. We’ve gone on strike as the employer didn’t change its stance”.

Serdaroğlu: This brand has become as it is with thanks to the works of the workers

Adnan Serdaroğlu said, “We are living in a tough country. Workers turning an honest penny have been facing various difficulties each day. We are dealing with occupational accidents at the factories every day. Worker wages are just above the minimum wage. 80% of the people working in Turkey work for minimum wage. We are striving to increase one slice of bread. All these happen because of the uncompromising attitude of the employer. This brand has become as it is with thanks to the works of the workers”. (DÇ/HK/TK)