Resisting dismissals and de-unionization, Birleşik Metal İş Union member Mata Otomotiv workers organized a protest march from Tuzla to Ankara. However, they were intercepted by the police and blockaded.
Resisting dismissals and de-unionization, Mata Otomotiv workers of the Birleşik Metal İş gathered today (March 27) in front of the Istanbul Free Zone of Industry and Trade in Tuzla and started a march to Ankara.
Workers and union leaders gathered at the free zone before the long march but were blockaded by the police. While the wait continued during the blockade, the workers chanted, “Victory will be for the resisting workers.” To give support and to march, the United Metal Business Chairman Adnan Serdaroğlu was at the site with the workers. Serdaroğlu reacted to the police blockade and issued a statement to the press about the planned protest.
Workers and union leaders who had begun the sit-in were then barricaded and surrounded by the Turkish police for a while. Then the police attacked with tear gas. One worker suffered an asthma attack due to police using pepper gas.
The workers continued to wait and chanted slogans under the police blockade for a while. Unable to break the police blockade, the workers dispersed.
MB Sendika.org News