“Unity, Struggle, Victory”

ISTANBUL | 22-08-2013 | Deri-Iş Union (Leather Workers) has held a demonstration march in front of Punto Deri in Zeytinburnu in Istanbul on 21^st August. The reason for the march was that 11^th August workers from Punto Deri were fired for being union members.

During the protest march the slogans were “Unions are our right and cannot be prevented”, “Unity, Struggle, Victory”, “ Fired workers must be rehired”.  Many workers from the factory joined the protest, besides numerous revolutionary, democratic organization to support the workers.

One of the speakers at the protest was the Deri-İş Union Organising Secretary Hasan Uluşan. He reminded in his speech that being a union member is a constitutional right and that Ramadan Aygün and Hülya Alptekin were fired exercising that right and they have been struggeling against this for 10 days. He also stressed that they shouldbe re-hired.

Ramadan Aygün, one of the workers who spoke after Uluşan pointed out that the reason they were fired was because they are union members but that this is exactly the reason why they are organised in a union. And that they are seeking to regain their usurped rights. With determination he said they would continue their struggle against Punto Deri.

After Aygün’s speech, the General Secretary of Deri-İş Musa Servi held a press confrerence.  Servi pointed out in his speech that the employer has despite all the warnings that being a union member is a constitutional right, fired the workers. He continued about the current position of workers and the rights usurpation they face on a day to day bases. Quoting Servi “Workers have now become active to protect their rights for safe employment”. He called upon the worker to unite and to struggle “ for a humane and for a honourful future”. Servi concluded by saying, “It should be known that if their stand doesn’t change, this resistance and struggle will continue in all places”.

The action was concluded by slogans by the protestors.