August 14, 2006

The 35 workers of the ALCO kitchenware plant who had been fired due to resisting against firings had agreed not to leave the factory. The factory owned by businessman, Hayyam Gariboğlu, called the army Gendarmerie units to forcefully evacuate the workers.

The president of the metal workers union, Metal-İş, Ahmet Durak said the bosses did not want to take back the workers fired from their jobs. Workers, expressing that they had been under constant pressure by the management due to their organizing efforts for a union, had stopped work to protest the firing of one of the co-workers. During this protest action the workers had welded the factory doors shut. The gendarmerie units had been called to forcefully remove the workers from the plant. After they had been removed from the premises, the 34 workers who had participated in the action had been fired. In response, the workers came back to the plant the next day and announced they will not leave the plant until they are all taken back. The army units of gendarmerie were called by the bosses again to remove the workers. The soldiers surrounded the workers and forced them out of the factory on demand from the owners. During the forceful removal, some pushing and shoving occurred between the workers and the soldiers. As they were removed, the laborers chanted, “Thief bosses, We are not leaving! One for all and all for one!”

The private security of the factory tried preventing the press from photographing the event as workers were removed. The workers pledged to continue their resistance outside the factory until they were all hired back. Some fights also erupted while some security guards tried entering the building. The workers reported that the guard had threatened them and had raised his baton.

Many democratic organizations took their place on the side of the workers to show support and solidarity. Peoples Houses, Office Laborers Union, Part of Labor were present at the event.

One of the workers at the kitchenware factory, Engin Yıldız, who wanted to be fired because he supported his co-workers said, “I have been working at this plant for the last 11 years. I have not seen any decent attitude in this plant. When these problems caused us to organize they increased the attacks. I was not fired, but I support my friends to the end. They can fire me also if they want.”

The president of the metal workers union, Metal-İş local branch Ahmet Durak said, “We will not leave. We are here until all our sacked friends are taken back. We will continue our action. These bosses are slave drivers. They bring scabs from other parts of the country for cheap wages. The owner of this company is Hayyam Gariboğlu. Everybody knows what a swindler he is from his stealing from the banks.”

NO WORKER, NO BUSINESS

The local president said the bosses brought scabs from other locations. He said the workers prevented scabs brought from Adana, a southern Anatolian city, the previous day. He said these tactics were being used by the management to scare off the workers. Also, the workers brought in at 3:00AM in the morning were also removed from the factory by the rightful workers. Durak said they will not allow anybody to enter the factory. He added, “If these workers do not work, there is no business here.”