Getir warehouse workers demand their rights: Fired for joining a union, they have begun a protest

Getir warehouse workers, who stopped working to demand that their salaries be increased along with fringe benefits and that their working conditions be improved, have begun a protest to make their voices heard.

Speaking to Haber.Sol, Shift Supervisor Kürşat Bildircin stated that their demands were regularly rejected by the employer and that they were dismissed after organizing with the Nakliyat-İş union.

“This place is an aquarium; they have thrown the fish into the aquarium, and while they eat the big cake themselves, they throw in a few pieces of feed at a time,” said Bildircin, announcing that they would not give up the struggle they are waging for their rights.

The workers' demands are as follows:

Improvement of salaries

Changing the catering company

Fixing of bonuses

Granting of promotion rights

Expansion of social areas inside

Compliance with hygiene rules in the cafeteria

Implementation of occupational health and safety rules

Bildircin describes what happened in the morning hours: “Because the Arnavutköy team is far away, they cannot make their voices heard by anyone. That is why we took such a step. I am a shift supervisor, a lower-level manager. This morning, news came to all of us that we had been dismissed because we were union members. When my friends went outside and stopped working, messages started being sent saying ‘return to work.’”

"THEY ARE OFFERING ME MONEY"

His full statement is as follows:

“Until our conditions are met, we are not returning to work, even if they fire us. The gendarmerie has arrived here immediately; what kind of situation do we have that requires the gendarmerie? Are we not all children of this country? Do they not live in the same economic conditions as we do? I want to receive the same thing as what I give to Getir. I want to be able to order the products I deliver for myself as well. My friends are working for 19,900 TL. As for clothing, it is the lowest tier; they are already working without eating. Everything has a limit.

We have started a protest using our constitutional right to put a stop to this pressure exerted by the management. We will not go inside until our demands are met; even if we are swept away from here, even if we are taken away by force by the gendarmerie, even if we are fired, even if we go hungry, we will not give up on this cause.

I am calling out to all our fellow laborers working in Maltepe, Ayazağa, İzmir, Tuzla, and other warehouses: ‘I know you are working under the same conditions. Come, let us be one, let us be together. If we become one body, we will win against the oppressors. If you are afraid, if you take a step back with pressure, money, or the positions you are offered, you will only earn bread, but you will leave your honor and dignity here every day and go home to your children.’

They are offering me money. The door opened at 150 thousand liras, and this figure will go even higher; I do not care. I will not go anywhere until the rights of the friends here are given to them. That is all I have to say.”

The workers explained that their repeated complaints regarding working conditions were ignored. Stating that they experienced pest problems and hygiene issues in the restrooms at the workplace, the workers said that when they spoke up, the management sought to fire them without severance pay. The workers expressed that the company, which turns a deaf ear to their demands for improved working conditions, has a mindset of "Just get the work done, no matter how."

Speaking on behalf of the Communist Party of Turkey in front of the warehouse where the resistance continues, Selim Deniz Rüşvenli said that they came to support the Getir workers in their rightful struggle and emphasized that the Getir boss puts millions into his pocket every day with the sweat of the workers.

Rüşvenli said, “We will take back what they stole from you. We will provide all the support we can so that you can work in better conditions. We will always be by your side.”