The strike called by the shipyard workers from the Tuzla shipyards on the outskirts of Istanbul yesterday (27 February) was supported by the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Trade Unions (DISK) and the Confederation of Trade Unions of Public Workers (KESK), as well as the Istanbul MP for the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Ufuk Uras, and the German Trade Unions’ Confederation (DGB).

National and international support 

Messages of support had been sent to Tuzla from trade unions in Scandinavia, Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic, the Polish Solidarnosc, as well as the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).

Other striking workers in Turkey sent delegations or messages of support, too.

A lorry carrying tent, sleeping bags and strike materials belonging to DISK was confiscated by the police and the driver was taken into custody.
The strike was joined by around 4,000 workers, but the police intervened. Newspapers today (28 February) show pictures of brutal beatings.

According to the Human Rights Foundation (IHD), 86 workers and trade union members were taken into police custody, 15 of them injured.
Ufuk Uras said, “We are at a point where there have been enough words.” He demanded the immediate release of the strikers, asking, “Since when has it been a crime to demand rights?”

 The workers were released later in the day.

Many grievances 

DISK president Süleyman Celebi said in his speech that workers were not benefitting from the growth in the sector which they were contributing to.
“Workers are being employed illegally. Their social security contributions are calculated according to the minimum wage. Shipyard work is not considered part of the heavy work sector. Trade union activities are forbidden. Workers who continue to protest are detained, arrested and tortured.”

Celebi also commemorated the leather workers of Tuzla, the workers killed in an explosion of an illegal fireworks factory in Davutpasa, and the textile workers who died in a fire in Bursa.

Minister of Employment Faruk Celik reacted angrily to the strike, saying that his ministry was working on trying to solve the issues.
So far, three shipyards have been partially closed down for not complying with health and safety regulations. (EZÖ/NZ/TK/AG)