CHP leader Özel addresses strike in İzmir: 'We need to check if we have gone too far'

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made important statements regarding the strike involving 23,000 workers at the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality. Emphasizing that striking is a constitutional right, Özel said, "Ultimately, union organization is a right we stand behind. We have nothing to say against the exercise of a constitutional right." However, he noted that union activities must also be conducted within a reasonable framework.

"IF YOU LOSE REASONABLENESS, YOU LOSE SUPPORT"

Özel stated, "Union activities, just like politics, are conducted based on reasonableness. As you lose your reasonableness, you begin to lose public support. I do not interfere in anyone's business, but when you lose the ground of justification and drift to the extremes, social support also diminishes."

"WE NEED TO CHECK IF WE HAVE GONE TOO FAR"

Referring to his own political experience, Özel evaluated the public criticism regarding the right to strike. He remarked, "If the worker and their demands are being criticized this much when they should be receiving support in the public conscience, one needs to turn and look to see if we have 'gone too far'." 

"BOTH THE WORKER AND THE MUNICIPALITY HAVE RIGHTS"

Özel said, "But no one should expect us to speak ill of workers who have gone on strike. However, just as they have rights, the municipality also has rights."

Reminding that the public has been collecting trash during the period when the municipality could not provide services due to the strike, Özel also reacted to those criticizing this situation. Özgür Özel stated, "If someone brings in another worker and pays them on the spot to collect that trash, that is against the law. But the people of İzmir collected the trash today; are you going to call the public 'strikebreakers'?"