Managers from Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK), some affiliated
unions, and a delegation of Austrian and Hungarian unions visited the Mahmutbey picket line
of fired UPS workers on the 156th day of their resistance, on October 7, Thursday. Tayfun
Görgün – General Secretary of DISK, İsmail Yurtsever – Vice President of DISK, Ali Cancı –
Vice President of DISK, Erol Ekici – President of Genel-İş (Public Services Employees union
of Turkey), Mevsim Görlevik – President of Genel-İş Branch 3, Murat Özer from Genel-İş
Organizing Chamber and managers from Sosyal-İş (Union of Social Insurance, Education,
Office, Commerce, Cooperative and Fine Arts Workers of Turkey) participated in the event.
In the press declaration, Tayfun Görgün – General Secretary of DISK made the first speech.
Görgün told that severance payments have been limited, insecure flexible working has been
generalized, and the bill of the crisis has been invoiced to workers under the name of stability
politics in Turkey. After reminding the recent demonstrations of the unions in Europe against
austerity measures, Görgün said that every resistance cannot be completed in victory but the
way to win is resistance, and declared that they support UPS struggle to the final point.
After Görgün, Hermann Haneder – President of Lower Austrian Chamber of Labour made
a speech. Haneder pointed out that firing workers only because of being union members
is a outdated action and said that they are on the side of UPS workers. Haneder also gave
greetings of President of VIDA union which is organized in UPS Austria and told how
the members of the union blocked phones of UPS. Haneder finished his speech by saying
that workers in Turkey brought flutter in Austrian workers’ hearts. After the speech of
Rainer Wimmer – Austrian Production Trade Union, Bela Balok – President of Hungarian
Metalworkers’ Union made a speech. Balok said that they are following the struggle in UPS
closely, added that UPS workers are not machines but humans, and in 21st century, dismissals
for union reasons are unacceptable. Balok promised to bring UPS to all Hungarian unions’
agenda as soon as he turns back to his country and he wishes success for UPS workers.
Lastly, Kenan Öztürk – President of TÜMTİS thanked to supporting sister trade unions in
DISK and international delegation. “Prime minister of Turkey is telling how democracy is
growing in Turkey but workers see every day that this is a lie on their side. Hundreds of
workers are being fired because of using the right of being unionized” he said. Öztürk also
stated that the employer thought to stop union struggle by firing workers but the struggle is
growing more with the international support.
After the speeches, the international delegation of 13 people, managers of our union and
managers from DISK had tea and conversations with UPS workers in the picket line.
