January 02, 2007

The contracting firm for cleaning services in the Izmir Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine started laying off workers despite its promises against such measures in the past. Before the national religious holiday, 86 workers were sacked including members of Genel-İş. The workers of the contracting company gathered at the union offices to discuss the layoffs said the management and the firm destroyed the spirit of holidays for all workers.

Baki Yiğit, a worker of 8 years at the company was fired in the past due to being a union member but was returned to his position by a court ruling. He said, “The company said they would not discriminate between unionized and non union workers. They told us that they merely did not want to deposit the union dues, but they would not lay off any workers.”
He continued, “Just before the holidays, without any discrimination they started laying off people. They took away our bread we put on the table for our families.” He reminded that this game was being played every year.

Ecevit Yılmaz, another worker who is employed at the central laboratories, warned that the layoffs were part of a plan to get rid of the union at the plant. He continued, “But they will not be able to prevent our struggle. We will continue supporting our union.”

Serpil Altıncelep has been a worker at the hospital for the last 8 years. She commented, “They took away our bread for 8 years with one decision. We can see that our labor for the last 8 years means nothing to them. She added, “Every year we face the same threat. I clean toilets in 10 floors. This is in addition to other tasks I am given. Given these conditions, if they are claiming my performance is low then I have nothing to say. I am sick and have to be in a strict diet, but I can not follow it. They give me to the most dirtiest bathrooms.” She said that they had been fired because of being a union member. She also said the oppression will not stop their struggle.

Source: Evrensel