Faced with catching the virus that exists in the plant, the workers refused to enter the building and congregated in the yard. The union representatives also arrived to observe the situation. However, the bosses had hired goons with long sticks who attacked the workers to force them to work. Fights ensued but the workers refused to work.
The textile workers’ union Deriteks is organized in several factories around the western Turkish region of Izmir.
When the news spread that in the Akar Textile plant where more than 2000 people worked there were cases of coronavirus, the workers called the union and stopped work.
Turkish labor laws allow the workers to stop production if there is a near and imminent danger to their lives.
Waiting for the union and the management to make an announcement and to stop the production, the workers grouped in the factory yard. Finally, the management announced that the Ministry of Health had given a clean bill of health to the factory and the plant was allowed to produce. Then the management ordered the workers back to work.
The management told the workers that they had deadlines to meet and on the 20th of the month there was big batch of clothes that was to be delivered. The production must continue, they ordered.
Workers were also threatened that if the work did not commence the wages would not be paid on the regular pay day that was coming on the 10th. Further, if the workers did not return back to their posts they would be fired.
The management also promised that an official from the health department had been invited to investigate the premises. This comforted the workers who agreed to go back to work.
While negotiations and threats were going on, the union representatives arrived at the Akar textile factory. However, the plant security stopped them at the gate and did not allow them to enter the premises.
When the health care official arrived and tested some workers, at least one worker was found to be infected. The infected worker and other 20 who worked on the same post were taken away for observation and quarantine. However, even when infected people had been found in the plant, the owners insisted on the continuation of production.
Next morning, faced with catching the virus that exists in the plant, the workers refused to enter the building and congregated in the yard. The union representatives also arrived to observe the situation. However, the bosses had hired goons with long sticks who attacked the workers to force them to work. Fights ensued but the workers refused to work.
The reporter from the Turkish daily Evrensel paper was attacked by the police and prevented from photographing or taking the video of the attacks on the worker.
Sendika.org news (M.B.)
