Dismissed workers file a criminal complaint against former employers
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87 workers dismissed from the Uğur Textile factory in Urfa have filed a criminal complaint against the employer on the grounds that they are prevented from working in other factories in the province.
The workers were working at the Uğur Textile factory, where the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) Textile Workers Union is organized. They were dismissed last November.
In their criminal complaint against the employer yesterday (January 17), the workers alleged that their names were sent to the other factories operating in Urfa and they were thereby prevented from finding a job.
The workers made a statement for the press at the Topçu Square in Haliliye district, which was also supported by civil society organizations.
Speaking on behalf of the dismissed 87 workers, worker Suphi Şahinalp said that the Textile Workers Union did not support them during their dismissal. He also noted that the union tried to convince them to withdraw their court cases and to sign the minutes of proceedings.
'Take action'
Addressing Zara, for which the factory produces, workers called on the company to "take action in the face of workers' dismissal in violation of the international conventions that it is a party to and labor rights."
Further in her speech, worker Şahinalp said:
As workers who have no other income than the wages we got while we were working, we have been unemployed for two months. For two months, we have been waiting for an end to the injustice done to us and for our reinstatement. We have no patience left. We are calling out to the Zara brand's officials: Please take action as soon as possible. Please take action in the face of the dismissal of workers and injustice of Uğur Textile, which produces for you, in violation of the international conventions that you are a party to and labor rights.
"Just as you resolved the problem by intervening in the factory's closure and the dismissal of 300 workers because we were members of a union, we expect you to fulfill your responsibility one more time and take action in line with labor rights and your principles.
'They are preventing us from finding a job'
"Today, we also filed a criminal complaint against the Uğur Textile's bosses, Servan Zenderlioğlu and Hayri Uğur. As if it was not enough that they dismissed us in an unfair and unlawful manner by trampling upon the Constitution and laws, they are preventing us from finding a job at other factories by sending the lists of our names to other factories.
"As if it was not enough that they trampled upon our rights and kicked us out, they are trying to seize our lives by blacklisting us. This is a crime against humanity. The factories that do not employ us because we are the workers dismissed from the Uğur Textile despite hiring new people are being a party to this crime against humanity. Similarly, the official authorities who stay silent in the face of this are being a party to this crime as well."
What happened?
Workers became members of the DİSK Textile Workers Union to improve their working conditions at the Uğur Textile in Urfa province. On September 10, 2021, the union got authorization to represent the workers. However, the employer did not recognize it, dismissed all workers and closed the factory. The factory was producing for the Zara brand.
300 workers started resisting after the factory was closed. Following their protests, the employer accepted the requests for meeting the union. Nearly a month later, they reached an agreement. The factory was opened again, all workers were reinstated and the company recognized the union's authorization. Workers started working again on November 1.
However, on November 18, 97 workers were dismissed from the factory again. 10 dismissed workers were reinstated at different times, but 87 workers could not get back to their jobs. (HA/SD)