Women from Workers’ Union Stage Demonstration in Support of Flormar Workers

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Women from the Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions (KESK) have staged a silent demonstration” for cosmetic company Flormar’s workers, who were fired for being union member, in front of Şişli branch of Yves Rocher, which owns 51 percent of Flormar.

Women carried a banner reading “No foundation cream can cover misogyny” in front of the Yves Rocher store.

Ayşe Panuş from the KESK İstanbul Women’s Commission said, “Being organized is not a crime, it is our main right. This practice must be ended immediately and all workers should be reinstated to their jobs with their rights”.

Messages from workers

KESK News Union Branch No. 5 Branch Secretary Deniz Salmanlı read out women workers’ message in front of the store:

“I am a Flormar worker. I have been here for 11 years. We receive 1.900 TL salary. We will continue our struggle but we ask the women to support us buy not purchasing Flormar products”.

Another message was as follows:

“None of our demands have been met so we’ve joined the union. For instance, when we get sick, if there is a funeral, we cannot take a day off. We are their workers. If we earn them, we have to get our share for our labor. We firstly want to be shown respect and humanitarian conditions to be ensured”.

Call for boycott

Education Union Branch No. 3 Chair Ayfer Koçak called for boycott:

“I will not purchase any product of Flormar and Yves Rocher as long as Flormar doesn’t take the workers back. Boycott is the most important, effective method. We will not purchase any product related to Flormar and Yves Rocher and we call on you not to buy them”. (ÇT/TK)