More delivery workers begin protests over low wage hikes

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Delivery workers of two more e-commerce companies, Hepsiburada and Scotty, began protests over low wage increases.

Couriers working at HepsiJet, the delivery organization of Hepsiburada, in Antalya and Karaman provinces downed tools on Friday (January 28) after they were offered a 1 lira raise per package.

The next day, the delivery workers staged a protest in front of the Hepsiburada headquarters at Trump Towers in Şişli, İstanbul.

Currently, HepsiJet workers earn 3.75 lira per package and say their monthly income would be lower than the minimum wage of 4,250 lira 1 lira increase (1 US dollar = 13.41 Turkish lira).

The workers want a monthly salary of 12.500 lira + VAT, fuel aid per 50 kilometers and an end to mobbing, threats and dismissals of workers who seek their rights.

HepsiJet işçileri ve Scotty işçileri birlikte mücadeleye!

Gelin birlikte haklarımızı alalım. Trump'a da Kağıthane’ye de birlikte gidelim. 1 TL zamma karşı birlikte duralım. pic.twitter.com/u4hFWPf2m8

— Hepsijet Çalışanları (@hepsijetcalisan) January 29, 2022

Cem Yılmaz, a well-known comedian who acted in Hepsiburada commercials, announced support for the workers.

"I stand with the employees. I hope the problems will be solved as soon as possible. In such times, I sincerely want whatever right to happen," he wrote on Twitter.

Releasing a written statement about the issue, Hepsiburada said the income of its 2,095 delivery partners increased by 46 percent and the 1 lira increase per package is only a part of it.

"By mobilizing all its resources and doing the best it can, HepsiJet will always stand by its business partners who make deliveries through their companies," said the company.

"The misery hike"

Workers of the Scotty delivery app in İstanbul stopped working, demanding a 40 percent salary increase.

The workers described the 22 percent hike offered by the company as a "misery hike."

Scotty çalışanları olarak İstanbul’da kontak kapattık, %22 sefalet zammını kabul etmiyoruz. Talebimiz %40 zamdır!

Herkesi sesimize ses olmaya çağırıyoruz!#HaklarıVerScotty pic.twitter.com/c2Fhr0OP1S

— Scotty Çalışanları (@scottycalisan) January 29, 2022

Ali Rıza Küçükosmanoğlu, the head of the Nakliyat-İş transport workers' union, held a meeting with the executives of the company on Saturday.

Last week, delivery workers of the Trendyol e-commerce company ended their protests after the company agreed to increase the salary hike from 11 percent to 38 percent. (TP/VK)