January 30, 2006

The Branch President of Tuzla Deri İş (Leather Workers Union) Hasan Sonkaya was attacked again by 4 people yesterday. The assailants tried to kidnap Hasan Sonkaya, but when they couldn’t, he was beaten brutally. The attacks against Tuzla Deri İş Union has been continuing for some time.

The attackers identified themselves as the police when they approached Hasan Sonkaya. Then they tried to kidnap him. When Hasan Sonkaya resisted his assailants and they could not force him to their car, they started beating him.

First the attackers tried forcing the union executive to the basement of a nearby building. When the people called the gendarmerie the attackers fled. When the soldiers finally arrived, instead of chasing the goons, they arrested Sonkaya and questioned him.

The Union has published a statement and has called all people and institutions on the side of labor to join forces and for solidarity in their organizing struggle.
Leather Workers Resist

The organizing at Cevahir Deri leather factory and the legal resistance started on November 24th of last year. The workers involved were attacked many times by armed goons hired by the factory owner Seyit Ahmet Cevahircioğlu. The workers have also been attacked by soldiers. When the workers caught the armed attackers and turned them over to the gendarmerie, the attackers were immediately released.

On January 20, some people, again, pretending to be cops had tried to kidnap the union executive Mr. Hasan Sonkaya. The next day, on January 21st, the branch secretary Mustafa Yiğit was beaten by the armed gangsters hired by the Cevahir Deri Factory owner and had ended up in the hospital.

On January 23rd, the workers, including the Branch President and the secretary Mustafa Yiğit were attacked in front of the factory by the gangsters. But the workers had resisted and fought back on that day. The factory, then, brought in the soldiers to fight the workers. 5 workers and the union officials were arrested due to this attack.

Gönen Deri factory in Balıkesir and Bilsinler and İleri Deri leather factories in Çorlu are being organized by the union in question and workers have reported very similar attacks in all plants. Although under these brutal attacks from armed goons, gangsters, police and the soldiers, the unity and organization of workers is at its peak and shows no sign of deteriorating.

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