‘We will get our due’: Dismissed workers protest in front of business association

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Dismissed while protesting the 8-percent wage increase, 257 workers are protesting Migros, one of the biggest supermarket chains in Turkey.

Workers came in front of the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD) yesterday (February 14) and set the TÜSİAD's new report on a new economic development model, "Building the Future", on fire in protest in front of the TÜSİAD headquarters in İstanbul's Beyoğlu.

The protest was joined by the Migros Esenyurt warehouse workers who are also members of the Warehouse, Port, Dock and Maritime Workers Union (DGD-SEN). They said, "What is allotted to us is a system of slavery. The dismissal of 257 workers in the dead of winter..."

'We are afraid of checking the bills'

Coming in front of the TÜSİAD, workers read out their statement for the press. They briefly stated the following:

"We are the workers of Esenyurt Migros warehouse. The reason why we are here is this: We were dismissed because we wanted to earn 4 more liras an hour at the warehouse where we worked by risking death during the pandemic. There is not one or two of us. We are 257 workers.

"We have come here to ask why we have been dismissed. We know what this place is. This place is the central office of TÜSİAD, which is chaired by Tuncay Özilhan and is the organization of the bosses managing Turkey. But why are we here? Migros is a company of the Anadolu Group. The ones who have condemned us to living between life and death are here.

We, as workers, no longer have any tolerance to this misery that is offered to us. We are the ones who produce at warehouses, markets, docks, factories... And we do it to death... We wanted our hourly wage to be increased by 4 liras. Is it too much?

"Why did we want it? Listen to us, hear and understand: None of us can make a living. We are afraid of checking the bills. Because of the rent, because of electricity, because of natural gas... That is why...

"We worked to death during the pandemic. Bosses and the ones around them lived in luxury. We died. We were disabled. We were left unemployed.

"Enough is enough now. We do not beg for anything from anyone. We do not want anyone to help us.

"We want our right. We know the ones who usurp our rights. That is why we are here. We do not have a personal matter with Tuncay Özilhan. Just give the pay rise... Otherwise, we will seize all your living spaces.

"We are the ones who produce. We know what is our right. We will take it. If we are disturbed, know that no one can sleep in peace. We call out from here: Our requests are definite and clear. We want to work.

"We want our rightful dues to be given, we want our hourly wages to be increased by 4 liras. We will get back to our job. The premiums will be guaranteed. Our labor safety and health will not be misused. You will either accept it or we are ready for war.

May the press know, may the media know, may Migros know, may Özilhan know and may the palace know. Our people know it. We are here, we are everywhere. We will get our due.

What happened?

Protesting in the face of an 8-percent pay rise, 257 workers of the Migros Depo, the warehouse of Turkey's one of the largest supermarket chains, have been dismissed. The dismissed workers are also the members of the Warehouse, Port, Dock and Maritime Workers Union (DGD-SEN).

Sharing the news with a message on its social media account on February 9, 2022, the DGD-SEN briefly said, "Today, our fellow workers who were shown to be on administrative leave and were inside the warehouse have been dismissed because of solidarizing with our fellow dismissed workers at the door. Migros has dismissed our 257 fellow workers."

Releasing a statement on February 11, Migros admitted the dismissal of 257 resisting workers from the Migros Depo.

Halting work in protest, the workers of the Migros Depo were waiting inside the warehouse in İstanbul's Esenyurt as part of their strike action the other night when the police stormed the warehouse and detained three executives of the DGD-SEN and over 150 workers. The detained people were released from the Kıraç Police Station later in the day.

Workers' requests

Workers of Migros demand that their net hourly wages be increased by 4 TRY, the payment of premiums be legally guaranteed and the necessary measures be taken for labor health and safety.

Who owns Migros?

One of the largest supermarket chains of Turkey, Migros Inc. belongs to the Anadolu Group. With Tuncay Özilhan as the Head of the Executive Board, Migros' firm value increased by over 75 percent in2020.

Of the companies of the group open to the public, Adel Kalemcilik (ADEL), Anadolu Efes (AEFES), Anadolu Isuzu (ASUZU), Coca-Cola İçecek (CCOLA), Migros (MGROS) and Yazıcılar Holding (YAZIC) shares are traded at Borsa İstanbul (İstanbul Stock Exchange).

Anadolu Group has the following companies:

Migros Inc.
Macro Center
Anadolu Efes (Efes Pilsen, Bomonti)
Ramstore
CCI (Coca Cola, Fanta, Sprite, Cappy, Burn, Fuse Tea) - (Sale distribution)
Anadolu Motor, Çelik Motor
AND Gayrimenkul
Efestur

(EMK/SD)